The Choices We Make Are The Paths We Take
by Shiho3.2.1
Summary: Naruto's leaves for three more years, only to come home with a kid. Who's the brat? Why does he look so much like Sasuke? Did we miss something?
1. Coming Home

Okay

Okay! First fic. Here!

Disclaimer: 'Cause I thought I'd let you know that I, indeed, do not own Naruto.

**CHAPTER ONE: **_**'Coming home…'**_

Naruto Uzamaki had been gone for 3 years now. Jiraiya had taken it upon himself to further train the blond haired idiot after the Sasuke incident. Naruto, discovering that he still wasn't strong enough to bring the boy back was forced into that decision.

It wasn't something they wanted to deal with, there, at the village.

But, now, they awaited their knuckled headed ninja. A messenger hawk from Suna had alerted Konoha of his and the legendary Sanin's return. Today would be the day. Yes. Today, they would all see that lovable blond again… Of course, no-one ever said he'd still be the same.

Training…Hah. If only that was all it had been, then he wouldn't be…

Jiraiya eyed the blond haired young man next to him curiously.

"Naruto," he started. The boy looked at him before anything else could be said, silencing him easily with a cold, icy, stare.

Naruto had grown at least three more inches and grew his hair out enough to resemble his father's. His obnoxious orange jumpsuit, long forgotten. It was too noticeable. Recognizable. And, he knew better now. With his old attire lost somewhere in the garbage, he now sported a simple tight fitting black muscle shirt, and black baggy pants, with the normal black ninja sandals you see them all wearing. The only thing that was still the same was the cursed necklace Tsunade had given him. It all contrasted well with his eyes, hair, and figure. More of the villages Kunoichi had another boy to fantasize over, and, at one time in his life, he would've loved the thought. But, not anymore.

"I'm fine." His voice came out smoothly and edged, dangerously.

Jiraiya made no motion to speak further. He could tell his former student was already pushing himself to simply walk through the gate without hightailing it right back to Suna, where he'd feel safer. Unknown to Konoha, Naruto had spent most of his time away, in Suna's territories. Still… Given the circumstances, Jiraiya had to give the young man credit, and he did nothing to hide the small smile that formed on his tight mouth. _'Naruto, you've grown up so much…I'm sorry.'_

As the guards gave them no trouble, as they walked through the streets of the home they avoided for so long, and as they made their way to Hokage tower, there wasn't a soul that missed them or the small raven haired child, silently hanging onto Naruto's pant leg, cerulean eyes sparkling with cautious and hopeful optimism.

Tsunade watched the Naruto in front of her, not one bit of her believing for an instant that this young man was him. The boy before her was much older. Nothing about him seemed the same. Even his eyes were different. Cold, distant eyes that lost there light of innocence long ago. It pained her to see this.

His face lost any sign of baby fat, and not even the slightest hint of a smile lingered there.

He looked so much like a dark version of his father that Tsunade almost mistook him for that famous Hokage.

Naruto waited for her to speak. To stop examining him like he was her next lottery ticket, then one that was sure to win, too, judging by how intense the gaze was. His face giving away nothing, he sighed inwardly, knowing full well what she was thinking. _'He's changed. Something's wrong. Did something terrible happen?'_

All were innocent questions. But, all still proved to be needles probing the painful secret truth that was the information as to what happened. The answers to those questions.

Naruto straightened up in his chair. He'd have to deal with this without Jiraiya's help. His Sensei was outside the door; undoubtedly very anxious as he waited for the reaction they'd get out of Tsunade once Naruto's story was told.

In the male blonde's eyes, this really wasn't so much of a big deal anymore. Though, somehow, he got the feeling she wouldn't see it as such.

"Baa-chan," Naruto said slowly, a small smile creeping up on his face, knowing the nickname bothered her greatly. "I've missed you."

"You sure took your time in returning for missing me so much, brat." Her fingers drummed the wood of the desk. Her intense gaze not faltering at her old name like Naruto had hoped. Pity.

He sighed outwardly this time. It didn't take him long before he was handing her Jiraiya's reports. She scanned them over briskly, not interested in their contents like she should have been. Mutely, she wondered how the third and forth Hokage managed their time when it came to paper work… then again… neither of those two had gambling or drinking addictions that anyone knew of.

"What's happened to you, Naruto?"

Why beat around the bush?

Naruto straightened up a little, eyes narrowing only a fraction as he did so.

One name formed on his lips. Said with controlled hatred well disguised pain.

"Itachi Uchiha."

Tsunade tensed.

Had Itachi done something? Had he attacked Naruto or attacked someone else and Naruto failed to protect him or her?

"What about Itachi Uchiha?" she pressed, voice not hiding any anger or worry. Said man, was nowhere in the reports and that's what was upsetting her aside from the fact that he had something to do with Naruto's current condition.

Naruto shifted his weight, but only slightly. Just getting comfortable. This was going to be an… uncomfortable situation to talk about so casually.

_**Flash Back**_

_Naruto smiled up at the autumn sky, loving the breeze flowing through the air._

_Jiraiya was out 'researching' again and so Naruto had the day to himself. It was going to be a good day he was sure, and it was. Nothing too bad happened. Maybe a few punks tried to tease a dog and he felt compelled to come to its rescue only for it to turn around and bite him before running off._

_The day carried on…_

_It wasn't until Naruto was getting ready for bed did he feel unsettled. _

_The air around him stopped moving. Clouds rolling overhead blocked off the moon's light. No stars were viable. A cold shiver went up Naruto's spine and he found himself thinking of Sasuke…_

_Despair took him then. He didn't even notice the red eyes swirling with something akin to madness._

"_How much did my foolish little brother mean to you?" Naruto's breath hitched. _

_He knew that voice._

"_Itachi.." He spun around, getting on his feet only to get knocked right off and onto his back. He gasped at the impact and hands caught his throat, cutting off his air supply. He clawed the hand hopelessly._

"_Indeed." Came the emotionless and distant reply. _

_**End of Flash Back**_

Naruto took in a deep breath. Let it out like an annoyed sigh and proceeded to say, " I was then subject to rape."

Tsunade was shocked. She wanted to cry. She wanted to yell. No words describe so I won't attempt to.

"As it turns out, Kyuubi was in heat around the same time and I later found out he's asexual… I was impregnated for three months."

Her first thought when he said that last part was _'Impossible.' _ Followed by, _'Three months…so he killed it.'_

"Don't jump the gun, Granny." Naruto said before she could say anything. Her face said it all, however. "I'm not so cruel to hurt an innocent child for something he didn't do. It was only three months because of Kyuubi."

Like, Keep up.

"Where is he then?"

Naruto jabbed his thumb over his shoulder, pointing at the door. "He's outside with Jiraiya, waiting." He played with a small smile on his lips. But it quickly faded at her next words.

"He's a demon's child." She sounded awed by this.

He scowled outwardly towards her. Hating those words.

Her own face became hard as she looked at him. "You'll have to hand him over."

"Like Hell, Old Bat!" He stood as she did. Both glaring the brains out of each other until she spoke again. He was really starting to hate her voice.

"Naruto, I know you feel like he's your child, but, from what you've told me, he's Itachi's and Kyuubi's. Not yours."

"Are you kidding me?! I'm the one that went into labor!"

"Sorry you're the Kyuubi's vessel!"

"He's mine! I'm the one that raised him! And Kyuubi is now a part of me! You should let me finish the damned story before you make stupid assumptions! **My baby **would have **died **it the Kyuubi and myself had stayed separate beings!"

Her eyes widened at this.

"The Kyuubi and I are now one and the same."

Jiraiya entered five minutes after he felt Naruto's aura subside. Small raven in hand, looking at them all curiously.

Tsunade felt her heart drop at the sight of the child, himself. A beautiful pale skinned, dark haired boy with violet eyes, as innocent as the next three year old. His face innocent but passive and calm. Perfect.

Silence filled the room and all eyes were on the child.

Nothing else could be said.

There was nothing to say…

Sounds from the world outside seemed muted, even as the rain began to pound down on the glass.

His legs marched him forward. His black eyes focused on the ground in front of him as he trudged onward. A path of blood behind him and the massacre he was leaving. He had done it. It was time to go home. It was time to keep the promise he made almost seven years ago to this day.

He stumbled. He wouldn't be able to make it today, but soon…

Soon, he'd see his Naruto once again and then they could pick up where they left off the night before The Valley Of The End.

He smiled softly at the thought then cringed at the wounds he carried. His vision blurred and he used his sword as a crutch. The last thing he saw was his hand wrapped loosely around with the red strings of fate tugging him towards who he forged this bond with, before he hit the ground, unconscious.

End Chapter One…

Hope you liked it. I'm real iffy on the whole thing but hey, you gotta start somewhere right? Sooooo….Leave reviews. Tell me if I made a mistake. Feel free to tell me if you think I should change something and I guess flames are welcomed. I'm not too scared of those-but don't do 'em if you don't have a damned goo reason! :


	2. Getting Started

Chapter two…

Chapter two…

**CHAPTER TWO: **_**'Getting started…'**_

Naruto made his way through the village once more, ignoring the stares and good-natured hellos. To say he was in a bad mood would be the understatement of a centaury. After having not only having been insulted by someone he thought cared about him, he **and **his child had been threatened by separation! It was an outrage!

Said child, was asleep. Blissfully unaware of his current status. Happily playing and or fiddling around in dream land, while his parent continued the silent rant, glaring daggers and digging graves for anyone who dare approach, not fully knowing if this over-protectiveness was the half of him that was now Kyuubi or just his temper having sprung to life.

Jiraiya trailed after him, having been the one to fight for Naruto's child after Naruto left in a hurry, baby in tow.

Tsunade's words still very fresh in the Sanin's head.

"Not only is that boy the next Uchiha heir, he's Kyuubi's own spawn! What if he comes out exactly like both parents? He's a danger to the village if he's left on his own, and so is Naruto if he refuses to hand him over peacefully." Her voice was firm, angry, but desperate. She really didn't want to do this.

Jiraiya sighed, rubbing his temples as he approached the situation with caution.

"You can't separate a father from his son-"

Tsunade cut him off before he could make a point. "Exactly! What if Itachi comes back for him?!"

Valid point. But, still only a 'What if?' question.

"Look." He began, voice very grave. It was times like these that he was grateful to have been born with the white hair. "Naruto's strength has improved ten fold with having fused completely with the Kyuubi. Itachi wouldn't be able to handle him now if he tried. No one would. The child is safest with Naruto."

"You say that now, but, Naruto's even more of a threat than the child at this point. Why don't you understand? What if Naruto attacks the village because of the Kyuubi? What if the child is more demon than human?!"

What if…

What if the sun was purple?

Did it really make any difference in the long run?

Making stupid assumptions over an innocent child just seemed flat out stupid. The poor thing hadn't done anything wrong at all. Just followed his father home.

A home that wasn't looking too safe anymore to Naruto. If the villagers found out about the bloodlines of his kid then his future looked as grim as Naruto's had been. He held his boy to his chest a little tighter at the thought.

He preyed the village wouldn't mistreat him.

A growl erupted from his throat at the prayer. Realization hitting him, cold.

The village wouldn't dare lay a finger on his boy. He wouldn't let him. If anyone so much as looked at them the wrong way, he'd-Oh he'd have so much fun with that one, little idiot.

Later that week

Naruto sighed, setting the groceries down on the counter along with a hyper little boy who wouldn't let go of one bag in particular.

He couldn't help but smile a little at his pride and joy.

"Are you hungry yet, Hun?"

He shook his head from side to side eagerly and squeezed the bag closer to his small body, wanting what was inside more than food.

Naruto smiled at this and gently detached the bag from the child's arms, reaching inside and pulling out the object he knew his son wanted from there. Unlike the grocery bags that Naruto was forced to buy for himself with the money he regretfully had to barrow from some –ahem- generous locals, this bag held what little Naruto wanted to keep from his apartment.

And the item was something that Naruto, himself, had cherished until very, very, recently which was due to the fact that his son claimed it.

So, he couldn't help but smile about it now.

"Daddy's house?" the child question pulling the item by its ends and holding it above his head where he knew Naruto put his.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. Daddy's house. It's big, ne?" He smiled weakly taking the item back and wrapping it around his head where it belonged, only for it to land on the boy's chest with a silent thud. Too big for his head just yet.

The boy held it up a little, looking down so he could see it better, a small chubby finger tracing the scratch it bore. "This is Daddy's?" He asked as he held it up to Naruto, eyes filled with wonder.

Naruto's smile almost faltered. "Yeah. That's his too,"

His son let it rest against his own chest again, tracing the scratch Naruto had made long ago with his finger over and over, as though trying to pull the story of it from the metal.

Naruto turned his attention to putting the food away and organizing the cabinets to his liking. It would be strange but Naruto would have to deal with the new house. It would weird forcing himself to even set foot here everyday like it was his, but he had been given no choice. His old apartment was way too small for himself and his kid. This place would have to do…

It was…the Uchiha compound after all. What better place to raise an Uchiha heir?

He sighed again.

But it hurt so much to have to be here without the one person he had always to spend his life here with. Against everything that was Naruto Uzamaki, he wished his dreams had been different then. He wished that Sasuke wouldn't have left him for that snake bastard.

His fists tightened.

It was painful to remember the force behind every blow. The coldness of his eyes. The fury in his voice. The too sweet kiss when he finally said goodbye…

"I'm hungry now."

His child's voice broke him from his thoughts. With a smile he nodded, hiding his heart well. Masking his sadness easily for the only one left he cherished in his life. "Alright, Sunshine. Alright."

And over at Hokage Tower

"Where is Naruto?" His voice rasped. He wasn't struggling.

They had him seated before mistress Hokage in the interrogation room. Tied down and blindfolded like a man ready for the electric chair.

"What do you want with Naruto?" She asked, the sake induced anger spilling over.

Hard to believe this woman somehow made the cut. When Konoha was desperate they meant desperate. He bit back whatever un-Uchiha like comment and instead settled on a growl. Just a sign he was losing patience for these so-called elders. He'd have their heads in less than five seconds if they didn't answer him first.

"Where is he?" He bit out again. When he got no reply he fell into an unsettling silence before snapping. "I've killed that bastard Snake for you! I've given you his fucking head! Tell me where Naruto is! I know he's here!"

The silence filled the room.

"First thing's first, Sasuke." Said young man, stiffened at hearing his old sensei's voice. "I know why you're so desperate to see Naruto, but we have to know if you can be trusted. Not many missing-nin come back after willfully leaving."

Sasuke jerked his head in the direction of the man's voice, snarling. "I had to leave! None of you had the power I needed! And if I wanted to now, I could kill you all!"

"Now, it's that sort of mouth that got you in here, Sasuke. Please. For your own well-being. Cooperate with the hidden leaf village." His voice got just that much harder. Enough to shut the young man up to listen if only for a moment.

He'd be going on trial within a week's time. Until then he'd be locked away and under constant surveillance.

As the restraints were worked off him they moved him to his feet, leaving the blindfold on for a moment longer than needed.

When Sasuke could see again, he was inside a cell. No one needed to tell him there wasn't any escape, he knew how these prisons worked well enough to not need to be told, but it was still more annoying than anything he had yet to come across.

A guard came in, her ANBU mask in place and somehow less intimidating than the others. There was a familiar air about her.

"Naruto will be informed of your arrival soon, Sasuke. I promise."

His onyx eyes widened a fraction of a centimeter.

"Sakura?"

"Yes." She nodded once. He could just hear the forced kindness behind that simple 'yes'.

Sure he hadn't exactly been the best friend he could have been or even the best teammate when it came to her, and **sure, **he had abandon her and the village for the sake of killing an older brother, but did all that really deserve such a foul response?

Maybe.

"Tell him to come see me, then. I need to speak with him."

"He's got a son now, you know?" She hissed. "I doubt he wants to hear anything you have to say."

Ha froze on the spot as she walked away. His mind blanking out as his face drained itself of any color, if possible.

'Naruto…has a son…' the words echoed. He fell back against the wall. 'Have you forgotten me, Naruto?'

**END CHAPTER TWO… **


	3. Revelations

CHAPTER 3: 'Revelations'

**CHAPTER 3:**_** '**__Revelations'_

A million things flooded the captured Uchiha's mind. Simple things like, 'What girl did Naruto pick over him?' or,' I'm going to **kill **Naruto as soon as I see him.' Which was actually the more frequent one. And, ' How old is that kid anyway?' That one, at least, gave him time to guess the amount of time the dobe had actually been over him. He may have been going inside out trying to figure out why this had happened, but he was still an Uchiha, dammit! And, he'd be damned further still if e couldn't keep a level head!

Naruto meanwhile was stalling on going, trying to find the best words to say. He wasn't exactly worried, so much as he was scared shitless of what could possibly happen if Sasuke flew off his rocker…again…

And when the two losers get to meet

Naruto inhaled briefly, suddenly getting a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, as he approached the door. The guard was in front of him, sure. But, what protection did a simple bodyguard serve when the Uchiha sent that ice-cold death glare.

He straightened up when tiny hands clutched onto the back of his pants like they always did when the child was nervous.

'_That's right,' _he tightened his fist. If the Uchiha sent him the death glare, he'd have to send it right back. Stronger. Definitely a lot stronger. And here, Naruto faltered again.

The door was opened and the raven was put into sight.

'_Oh heaven help me…' _Naruto inwardly cringed. The raven already looked pissy. This, of course, wasn't uncommon for him, but, still never a good sign.

Said Uchiha was already focused on the little boy behind his dobe. His eyes only widening when he realized how much the child actually resembled him. Or was that just one of his old time fantasies playing with his already scrambled brain? It didn't matter. He'd have answers and he'd have them now.

"Dobe." However, was the first word out of his mouth.

"Teme." Came the short reply, giving Sasuke time to notice how Naruto's voice was no longer cheery or eager. It was cold and distant, with a hint of that spicy anger behind it.

The guard left them at that, leaving Naruto in an 'inner' state of "WTF?!"

There was silence, and they took each other into sight and memory. Naruto's sleeker almost feline form and Sasuke's more masculine form. Both very different but still somehow the same.

"Who's the kid?" Ah, finally. He got it out.

"My son."

Sasuke sneered. He knew damn well it was Naruto's bouncing baby brat, but he wanted to know whom it else it belonged to. Who was the mother? He needed to be told so he could go kill the bitch then Naruto. As you can tell…he favored the idea of killing our precious blonde. Even if it would hurt himself in the long run…

"You know what I mean, idiot. Tell me who **else **he belongs to." The words seeped out like venom.

Naruto's eyes narrowed at the sound and nearly hissed at him angrily, unconsciously nudging his child behind him further. A protection measure. Not that Sasuke could get out.

And, though Naruto knew it wouldn't end well, if he answered the Uchiha truthfully he'd be in for an ear full, he also had a good bet going with Tsunade that if he lied and pinned the boy on some village girl-well, she wouldn't live long enough to confirm otherwise. Either way, nothing boded well.

The tight line that was now Naruto's mouth didn't even twitch with the anticipation of speaking. Sasuke's growl erupted and filled the silence for a good half minute before a whimper caught them both, turning their heads to the small child hugging Naruto's leg.

He looked just about ready to cry.

"Daddy's mad… Daddy doesn't like me, Mama.." He whimpered, hiding his face into the fabric of the pant leg.

Sasuke was almost frozen by the child's words. He was angry that it could talk; half of him hoping that it was a mute so it wouldn't be able to call for help when he killed his dad. He was terrified for having hurt the child's feelings as well. And most importantly, he was confused (angry that he was confused, too) by what the kid said.

Who was he talking to? Last Sasuke checked, there were no girls. No "Mamas".

Naruto's eyes softened. "No, little one…He's just being stupid."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed at Naruto's word, glaring at him for all he was worth.

"What the hell are you talking about!? That **thing** just called you its mom! Aren't you his Dad?! Your kid brain dead or something?!"

Another whimper, almost a cry.

Naruto let out something in between a hiss and feral growl, earning no better from the raven in front of him.

"What is he even doing here anyway?! Since when do they allow children to visit S-ranked ninja!?"

Naruto moved himself closer to the bars, making sure his pup stayed back.

"Since I can't leave him alone! I'm a solitary parent, raising the next fucking Uchiha heir since your stupid mother fucking brother raped me and knocked me up!!" Naruto's throat felt like it'd rip itself apart from how loud he was screaming now. " They want to take him away from me and do who knows what to him! He's my son! Stop yelling at him for something he couldn't control! You want to blame someone for this, blame me!" His eyes glowed red in his fury. The Kyuubi's voice seeping through as they spoke as one. "A brat like you would never understand what it means to be seen as nothing but a demon! I won't have you looking down at him in the same manner! Not when all I ever wanted was to-" He stopped.

It all stopped.

Sasuke's mind stopped working.

Naruto's eyes went back to an empty blue.

And only crying from the child behind him could be heard.


	4. Possible Problems

..

Disclaimer…I do not own Naruto…or Sasuke...or Itachi...But I own that kid!

**CHAPTER 4:**_'Possible Problems'_

Naruto's breathing came out in uneven heaves. His anger had flared up to the point that Kyuubi could very well take over. His child was crying behind him, and he had a very unpleased and confused Uchiha in front of him as well. Things weren't looking up at all.

'_I should've stayed in Suna.' _He thought with a longing so deep he was almost bitter. At least in Suna, there wasn't anyone who would…

"…ir."

Naruto looked up, his eyes holding deep confusion now. Did he hear the Uchiha correctly?

"He's the…" Sasuke's lips formed the word 'heir' and 'my brother', but not a word was audibly uttered. The Ice Prince too far lost in his own shock.

'_Here it comes.' _Naruto braced himself. His entire self focused on becoming the wall that would stand between the child and Sasuke. This was nerve wracking in it's own way. Not that 'I'm going to die if this or that happens' way, but more of a, 'I'll be surprised if I'm sane after this' way.

He watched the Uchiha carefully with narrowed eyes.

Sasuke had managed to turn himself to stone. A babbling stone forever doomed to wear the hurtful expression he wore now. Naruto honestly didn't know what to do with any of this anymore. He wanted to leave.

He had said what he needed to say and he needed to tend to the hurt feelings of his son. He didn't have any time in his schedule left to contemplate making the man before him feel any better about himself.

It was then that Naruto Uzamaki vaguely remembered he had left the light in Setsuna's room on.

((For those who couldn't guess. I named the child after the main character in Angel Sanctuary. A very good story and anime. Check it out if you haven't already-Oh!))

A short mental sigh let itself echo in his emptying mind. Today really couldn't get any better if a giant cow fell from the sky and knocked him unconscious on the street. Really.

Sasuke, meanwhile, was just reeling. He hated his brother more than ever. He was confused as to how Naruto produced a child having been and still being male. He wanted to strangle the kid for ever being the tie between his Naruto and his brother. He wanted to take that child away and make his own. Replace it. Or at least raise it himself until he thought that- The Uchiha's mind suddenly stopped and clicked.

The kid had said 'Daddy is mad.'

Itachi wasn't here, and he did resemble him a bit, but he got the feeling that that wasn't the case here.

A very stone cold emotionless mask expanded from Sasuke's mouth to the rest of his face. His sharingan activated and nearly spinning from inner turmoil.

"What have you told this kid...about me?"

The question hung in the air and he couldn't help but notice Naruto shift his weight to his other foot just ever so slightly.

The child poked his head out to look at the man in the cell. His eyes were wide as he watched the man's eyes slowly bleed themselves to a different color. _'Daddy's Sharingan…' _He remembered being told stories about how powerful these eyes were. He remembered seeing them on the eyes of the man that would visit him some nights when his mother was fast asleep. These eyes…He'd have them one day.

Sasuke's gaze flickered to the boy once more. Staring so earnestly.

"What have you told him?" He asked again, this time, eyes trained on the boy instead.

Naruto stepped in front again.

"Nothing important."

Sasuke hid the smirk he gained from the blonde's answer.

"So he thinks I'm his father?"

The child ducked behind Naruto again, not liking the way his eyes were so intense. The other's eyes lacked the emotion and passion this one gave off and it wasn't safe. It wasn't the same. He let out a muffled whimper.

"Let me see him," he said too smoothly. In a way that almost resembled Itachi's. "Naruto."

Naruto forced the shudder that threatened him with its presence. His memory serving all too vividly the torture of Itachi. Glaring, instead, he moved aside slowly, making sure Setsuna was fine with being exposed.

Setsuna, of course, was shyer about it than he normally would've been with any other stranger. But, this man had shown hostility within the first two minutes of even being in the same room as him, and his voice and eyes were anything but trustworthy. Why was his mother listening to this man?

As bravely as he could, Setsuna stared the man in the eyes. His own showing cautious curiosity as he stood very still. The man before him, reminded him of, what he knew the creature to be called, a snake.

But even a snake struck with reason. Quietly they looked at each other. Setsuna innocently recalling all the stories his mother had told him about this man. Pictures he had been shown. The headband he had tied around his neck right now.

Mother listened to this man because of something he said a while back when they were with a tall fire headed man, who spoke in whispers.

A mental image of his mother sitting with him on his lap as he dried his hair came to mind like a fuzzy dream.

--

"_Why didn't you stop Daddy, mama? Why didn't you hurt him, too?"_

_Naruto smiled very weakly. "Because I loved him too much…" he whispered, kissing him on the head gently. _

--

His mother loved this man.

Sasuke slowly put one hand out of the bars to the kid. He didn't know what to expect. It was part of Itachi, it could very well be a polite little thing until it decided to bite, or it could be like Naruto, who made up the other pieces, and run up and try to hug him through the bars like an idiot. Either way, he really hoped the child would come a little closer.

The child was a part of Itachi. He'd detest that part until he died.

The child was part of Naruto. He'd love that part until Naruto died.

Naruto let out a small growl, obviously, letting Sasuke know that if he dared to try any underhanded deed then he'd never see the light of day again.

Sasuke shot him a glance, much like the ones he used to give Naruto when they were younger. The look saying, 'I know. I'm not an idiot.' It was true. Sasuke knew better, and, quite frankly, he had no open desire to hurt the child at the moment. For the time being, all he wanted was to reach out to the child like he was doing now. No more 'strangling' thoughts concerned the boy now that he was actually staring the innocent in the face.

Really the child was too much. Like a tiny angel. Of course, if he thought about it, he wouldn't have expected less of a combination of his angel and his demon. The child could almost be described as beautiful. Raven black hair and cerulean colored eyes, tinted ever so delicately with the amber of the sunlight that leaked in through the window. Porcelain colored skin and a pink hue on his cheeks. The rims of his innocent eyes were framed with the red puff of having cried.

Sasuke felt a little guilt settle in, though he never let it be seen, for having been the cause of the child's grief. It was an unsettling feeling of discomfort, not just for being the soul reason the child had shed tears, but also for the fact that there was even **that **discomfort.

He honestly thought something was wrong with him for a while.

His stomach churned, uncomfortably as he continued to look upon the kid. It wasn't until the tiny hands clasped around his thumb did he come to his senses. A small nonexistent gasp left his lips at the child's touch.

'_Since when had he moved_,' Sasuke wondered, lost.

Naruto watched Sasuke carefully, ready to tear the two away from each other at the first sign of any violent tantrum the eldest of the two Uchiha in the room might expose.

And, he was shocked to find none came.

Sasuke seemed lost in Setsuna's very face.

Setsuna cocked his head, using his free hand to grab the headband he wore around his neck. He gave it a tug till it came loose before smiling and putting it into Sasuke's hand.

"This is yours, Daddy." He said with Naruto's old and much missed smile. With that, Setsuna let go of Sasuke's thumb and used his own hands to close Sasuke's so he'd be holding his old headband.

Sasuke moved his attention away from the child. His chest feeling as if it'd burst. Naruto's smile on the face so close to his brother's was too much. He took his hand back as though he had been burned. His gaze fell to what used to be his old headband, eyes widening a fraction when he realized it.

"Naruto…"

Naruto looked up, attention taken away from checking to see if Setsuna had any curse marks of some sort. Parent mode never let him rest. But, for this, he'd let himself lose concentration.

Sasuke just looked so lost. Helpless, even. Just staring down at the headband he hadn't seen or even thought about in years.

His chest hurt.

"Why would you…keep this..?" He looked up, sharingan vanished, leaving the depthless onyx. "Why would you tell him I was…" He couldn't finish. His heart was wrenching and Naruto's distant eyes served little, if no, comfort.

Naruto looked down upon the once so proud Uchiha, not sure if he could still answer that question truthfully. He took in a deep breath and let it out with a sigh.

"It was…all I had left, you teme." He said breathlessly. "And, Setsuna…" Said boy looked up at the mention of his name. Smiling sadly, Naruto ruffled his hair. "Well I couldn't let him believe he came out of thin air. Because he didn't."

"But, why?" He nearly snapped it out. "Why me?"

"Because at some point in my life, Sasuke…" Naruto's voice lost that life it had only seconds ago. "I didn't want to give up on you."

Sasuke watched him, searching desperately for the Naruto he knew. The one he came back for. This child was a slap in the face.

"How did Itachi get you? How could you have-?" Naruto's sudden glare cut him short.

"I was weaker than I should've been." He growled out. "I can guarantee there won't be a repeat performance." He sounded too bitter.

"Time's up."

They turned their attention to the door. Naruto nodded before looking to Sasuke one last time.

"I hope they go easy on you, Sasuke." He said turning to leave. "Try to suck up to the Hokage." One couldn't help but notice Naruto's sudden distaste for the word. "Maybe she'll be kinder toward a person of your status."

Three days later

Naruto sighed, walking into the town for more food had to be the worst thing to do in the entire world. Not only did he look fat to the storeowners, but also he was quickly losing money. He needed a job, but he couldn't leave Setsuna all alone in that Uchiha compound for many, many, obvious reasons. It was such a hassle to even get out for the fifteen minutes he needed to be out for right now. Jiraiya wasn't around anymore to help him out so he used shadow clones for the time being. Still a pain…

Embarrassed with basket in hand, Naruto walked along the isles, strangely ignoring his once favorite food.

The reason for that was because when he was pregnant he threw it up and a couple noodles managed to come out of his nose. No matter how much he had loved it in the past he couldn't stomach it anymore. Chalk up another reason to hate Itachi, why not?

It wasn't until a few other shoppers started darting out the store did Naruto realize something was happening at the Hokage tower.

Now, a huge percentage of him was yelling that he didn't have time for a detour, but it was being drowned out by a much louder voice yelling, "What're you? Crazy?! Move your ass and see what's up?!"

With that little push and very loud voice, Naruto was out the door and heading for the commotion, cheating a bit by hopping on the tops of the buildings with the other ninja.

There was a platform set up in front of the tower.

What he saw horrified him to the point of none existence.


	5. Blessings or Sins?

Now this…

Now this…

Disclaimer: No no. Don't own Naruto.

((And there's something wrong with my comp. Ever notice how the first word is usually said twice or something or other at the top? Annoying ain't it? I hate it, but dunno what to do))

**CHAPTER 5: **_'Blessings or Sins?'_

Naruto skied to a stop before sprinting full force at the sight that met him.

On the platform stood three of the elders, Konohamaru's creepy teacher, Ibiki, Tsunade, and beside them a bloodied Sasuke with a blindfold over his eyes, a gag in his mouth, both caked with blood, was on his knees, hands bound together with one of his legs torn up so badly it looked like it'd never be able to support even a fraction of his weight again. But it was who was beside him that had Naruto moving like a bat out of hell. Trembling beside Sasuke was a tiny raven-haired child, staring at the accusing crowd of villagers and searching for the one person he knew would stop this.

"HOKAGE!!" Naruto roared, leaping into the air, black claws suddenly extended as he came down aiming to land a swipe with enough force to rip her face off her head. Maybe knock it off entirely.

Sasuke and Setsuna jerked their heads in the direction of the yell.

Tsunade dodged by a tenth of a second. Any longer or any less of a step her head would've rolled.

Naruto crash landed into the wood of the platform, splintering the wood easily, eyes blazing red with Kyuubi's fire. The villagers screamed in horror, the demon was unleashed.

"Naruto, stop!"

The voice should've been familiar, but Naruto recognized no one. He saw traitors. Everywhere. Staring him down and ready to kill him. This vile village and their cowardice villagers. He crouched, ready to spring at her again. Why was his son on display to the rest of the village? Why was **he **next to a so-called traitor of the village?

The cold hands of foul play soon found their victim in Naruto and just as suddenly as he was standing, he was face down in the wood he just shattered, pieces getting shoved into him. He growled and thrashed, but found no reprieve.

"And you wanted to be Hokage some day…" Ibiki's awful voice filled Naruto's ears and his rank breath filled his nose. "You see," He announced to the village almost proudly. "This is what the fourth has unleashed upon you. A demon! And not just him. He, as an unholy thing, has conceived a demon spawn!"

Naruto froze at the words. _'No.'_

"That child there,"

Naruto snarled and bit into the wood, crunching his back so that whatever had him had to adjust to Naruto's new position. It would only take a second, but that was al he needed. With a swift bite of the wood he tore away a chunk and tossed his head back, efficiently lodging the stick into the back of Ibiki's right knee.

He let out a cry and came crashing down.

The villagers were in an uproar. Naruto's head was smashed against the wood again. Harder this time. He let out a mangled cry.

"Mama!"

Setsuna's voice cut through the madness. Only temporarily.

Naruto went rigid and he growled, "Stay back!"

Whoever was behind him, obviously didn't mind hurting anyone he thought might be a threat.

"Stay with Daddy." Naruto said, hoping Setsuna would obey.

Sasuke was barely aware of what was going on. His head was spinning. Too drugged to really comprehend anything at this point. But he could hear Naruto in trouble and the pleading in his voice now for his child to stay where ever he was safest.

Setsuna whined, hand tightly squeezing onto the fabric of Sasuke's bloodied shirt.

"Naruto…" Tsunade's voice now grabbed Naruto's ears and he listened. Oh, did he listen. He was noting her last words in his mind. She was going down now as a traitor or just flat out ignoramus. But, he couldn't ignore the scent of salt coming off her; she had been crying. And the strain in her voice. He knew immediately that the elder's put her up to all of this. " You are now a traitor of Konoha for failure to cooperate w-with…Regulations and.."

He tried to turn to see her.

"Procedures… You have been charged with insubordination, failure to hand over a potential threat, and for having relations with the Akatsuki… "

A lump formed in his throat, and he all but spat it out with the ferocity of a tiger gone blood thirsty.

"What?!"

"I'm sorry, Naruto…But you sentenced to death, by decree of...the Hokage. You will d-die along side the traitor Sasuke Uchiha. And Setsuna Uchiha will be taken under the custody of the Anbu black ops."

Naruto froze in both fear and anger.

"You can't do this!" He screamed. " You can't do this!"

A cry reached his ears and he struggled to turn to see Setsuna struggling with a masked Anbu and Sasuke trying to fight him off to help.

Tears stung Naruto's eyes.

Was this really the village he had worked so hard to protect? He should've let it burn long ago. He should have destroyed it when he had the chance. He grit his teeth.

The Kyuubi's chakra began to surface. The person behind him seemed to notice and he called for reinforcements. Naruto hissed; he could feel the fire of the Kyuubi starting to bubble up and fester beneath his skin. It was worse than hell fire.

And only now did Naruto wonder, where were his so called friends of old?

The tears fell when he heard Setsuna get taken away as Sasuke fell unconscious against the floor of the stage. He felt so useless.

"Mama!" It echoed and hurt worse than anything. He needed to get out. He needed to hurt them for this. He needed to- a scream shot out from a child's throat. So mind numbing for Naruto that he nearly went into shock. And suddenly there was silence. And there was dark. Pitch, silent, dark.

((A.N. So yeah. Wha jya think? I tried to make these two loger. Hope that worked out for you all okay. So, um…leave reviews. I really like them. Any thoughts as to what you think happened might prove fairly amusing as well. Catch ya later.))


	6. Candy Clouds

..

**CHAPTER 6: **_**'Candy Clouds'**_

Naruto awoke slowly and groggily the next morning, his senses meeting something soft. He questioned it, but only for a second. The warmth of a bed was a well-missed thing. Right up there with getting a full night's rest, and ramen, and sparing with Sasuke, and training with Jiraiya, and teasing Tsunade, or- He jolted.

"Setsuna!"

His head spun slightly and he barely noted the bandages he felt on his face.

The memories came back and shook him with newfound anger. That was right. The warmth of a bed was **nothing **compared to the warmth of having your child sleep next to you. A full night's rest wasn't **anything **like a catnap in the middle of the day as you listened to the child's voice singing happy little tunes near by. Ramen was disgusting now, unhealthy and not a good food to stomach when pregnant. Sparing with Sasuke **couldn't **be as fun as simply knocking the life from him for leaving him all alone. Training with Jiraiya was virtually **pointless **now that he didn't need it. Teasing Tsunade, Hah! He'd sooner bite her head off for what she did to him. And Setsuna. His baby, Setsuna. Where was he?

Looking around anxiously and obviously drugged, Naruto tried to find the chakra signal of his son. Nothing. It was empty. The room was designed to block chakra. He cursed as his eyes adjusted. He was in the Konoha hospital of all places! He growled and tried to move up only to find he was strapped to the bed. He groaned aloud, almost a loud whimper and frustrated plea for help. He needed his child. He wanted Setsuna.

"He's up." He heard a nurse shout in a hushed whisper outside the door.

He writhed. He hated this to no end. It was torture to not know where Setsuna was. Even worse still that he didn't know if Setsuna was even okay. He hated it. He hated how much it hurt. The feeling of uselessness came back and hit him full force, shaking his body with convulsive tremors. He needed to know something. Anything!

The door opened and clicked closed.

"Naruto…That you, man?"

Naruto turned his head with a look of hard questioning in his face before he recognized who was there. He hadn't expected to see him, at least, not now or like this.

"Kiba?"

Kiba smiled weakly with relief or something like it. He was glad to see it was Naruto, but not so happy to know that fact either. It meant that this was the Naruto he watched up on the platform just the day before and get sentenced to death before the whole village. The Naruto that had his child stripped from him and then…

"It's great to see you," Kiba started, he shifted his weight uncomfortably, knowing that those blue eyes were narrowed, knowing that Naruto was questioning why he was even there and where he had been yesterday when he needed a friend most. "Look, I-We tried to stop them."

We?

"None of us knew what was going on either when they pulled that kid up onto the stage."

Naruto tensed.

"We saw Sasuke and just when we heard they were going to kill him we all sort of froze-then you came and we all tried to get up there and help you, but the Anbu had-"

"Enough." Naruto bit out. He didn't wan to hear the excuses right now. Great, fine, they tried to help, but they failed and now he was without his son.

"Where's Setsuna?"

Kiba looked up at Naruto then down to his feet.

"Why am I even still alive?" Naruto pressed. "And Sasuke. Where's he?"

The questions seemed to be a little much for Kiba. But he needed these answers.

"And who's 'we'?"

Kiba's head shot up at this. "Us. Your friends. The rookie nine. Sakura and Ino are in prison now because of how much they fought. In fact, I think we all are. They only let me see you because they figured if you…snapped then I'd be the least missed." Kiba said a little bitterly.

The words sent Naruto into another state of inner turmoil.

"Where's Setsuna?" He asked again. This, being the most important and urgent in his mind. He had heard Setsuna scream just before he, himself, blacked out. He needed to know. It wasn't something he was going to let go.

Kiba shuffled his feet.

"Sasuke was taken away… It was a real mess, man…I mean, it couldn't be called anything else."

--

Naruto's question was never answered. He was left embittered by the past events. Nurses constantly came in and sedated him to keep him from struggling. A week went by and each time the sedative was injected Naruto almost wished it'd be the one to kill him. No longer a sedative but a lethal injection that would prove fatal. Each night he groaned out in agony, waiting for some news as to what happened to his son.

Why was everything so…

His eyes flickered to the window where sharingan red met blue.

…wrong?

He looked away, back to the door as it opened. "The council will see you shortly. You are to be moved there. Please don't struggle."

He glared as the door closed before swiftly looking back at the window. The eyes gone. Something was definitely wrong here.

--

Setsuna walked around the room the man left him in. Waiting for him to come back with news about his mother.

He ran over to the window and peeked over the bottom edge, unable to reach any higher, He could only see the sky from where he was. And he was worried. It had been such a long time since he had seen his mother. Unable to understand time fully, he struggled to stay calm. If it felt like it had been too long then it had been too long.

He looked over his shoulder at the man who walked in. He watched as the white haired man walked over to the table near the end of the room where he checked a container of something Setsuna was told not to drink. It smelled bad so he wasn't tempted to.

"Where's mama?" he asked, hoping today he'd get a good answer other than-

"He's still at the village."

Damn. There it was again.

"No worries. I'll be working on a way to get him out. Just you wait."

"Kabuto!" A voice raged out from another room.

Setsuna didn't like these men, but they had saved him and his Daddy from that awful village. They had to be okay at least.

The white haired man looked to the door with an annoyed sigh. "Be right back, little one. Snake man needs someone to talk to. Sasuke's awake though; he's in the room three doors down. You can count can't you?"

Setsuna frowned. Yes, he could count. These meanies.

He hopped off the box he had been using to look outside and followed Kabuto out the door before going where the man had said his Daddy was. He pushed the door open with much effort put into the simple action. Shocked that the other people made it look so easy.

Like the white haired man had said, Sasuke was awake, sitting in the dimly lit room with a look of deep thought about him.

"Daddy?" Setsuna pushed himself in, having only opened the door enough for him to squeeze through.

Sasuke looked up, almost shocked. "…"

Setsuna ran forward and hugged the only person he really trusted here. The man his mother wanted to be his father.

Sasuke slowly put one around the child then the other, pulling him into a tight embrace.

It was one thing for him to be here, but something else entirely for the child to be here as well. It was all too painfully obvious why he'd be here, too. The child wasn't just an Uchiha heir but a demon's child as well. He'd grow up to be a powerful Nin. An almost indestructible weapon. And most importantly, here, the most perfect body Orochimaru could possibly get his hands on.

So he held him close. Protectively.

He wasn't going to let them have him. Not Naruto's only child. Not this innocent angel.

"I'm scared, Daddy."

"I know." He muttered, stroking the child's raven hair gently. He pulled the boy into his lap and held him longer there. "I know…"

Setsuna felt warm. Like when he was with his mother and he was sick. He wondered if he had gotten sick again. He held onto his Daddy's clothes and snuggle din, tears surfacing with the feeling of loss. He wanted his mother again.

"It's okay." Sasuke whispered to him, rocking slightly, trying to calm the boy. "I'm not going to let them hurt you-We'll save your mother. You'll be okay."

Setsuna felt the comfort and sincerity in those words. He nodded, thankful for the chance to be held like this by who he had been told was his other parent.

"It's okay." Sasuke whispered again and again until Setsuna was lulled to sleep.

--

Naruto was seated before the council. His stomach twisting in and out of uncomfortable knots as it churned at the sight of the people before him.

"Uzamaki, Naruto. It appears you no longer care for the village of Konoha."

He didn't. Not when they kept him form his son like this.

"You have attacked the Hokage in an attempt at her life. You are a traitor."

"Might as well call me a demon and behead me in front of the village." Naruto bit out with a snarl. "I'll kill every one of you if you don't tell me where my son is!"

There was a silence like no other Naruto had ever experienced. None of them spoke and their faces were grave.

"Your 'son', " the man that spoke didn't seem to like calling it that. "Was taken with Sasuke."

"Where?!"

"You're in no position to demand from us, demon!" A woman hissed out.

Naruto bit his lip to keep from yelling whatever profanities felt right. He hated them. Hated them all. And he'd be damned if he didn't send their souls to hell by the time this was all over. He'd betray this village for doing this to him. Al he had wanted was to come home to **a home**. Not be scorned like this. He had depended on the wrong people, it seemed, to be understanding of everything he went through. He felt betrayed in the worst ways possible. Just when he thought they had accepted him at his fullest they turned on him for something he didn't mean to happen. Accused him of willingly handing himself over to Itachi like he wanted it. Branded him a demon for choosing to fuse with the Kyuubi in order to save an innocent life.

Why was no one seeing the truth in all this? Was there really no one that still cared? Did no one see the false justice being served here?

It was so much hurt and betrayal, Naruto didn't know how to cope. He felt like crying for all he was worth. Wanted to cry for his child aloud. Wanted nothing more than embracing arms to circle him and hear the words he had longed to hear all his life. The words he thought he had heard in Iruka, Sasuke, and Sakura, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Kakashi. The words he thought he had heard from all his friends.

Why was he in such silence now?

Did he really have no one left?

He let his mind travel back to the years he spent in Suna. The red head there would never have let this happen to him. As a Kazekage, Gaara had to have some say in his unfair trial. Maybe he could transfer to Suna, or be assigned to a long-term mission there that would take years to complete.

((Thank you very much for the help here. You know who you are. ))

Gaara.

Naruto knew now that that man was his only hope of getting out of here alive. He needed to able to send a message to him or something, somehow.

END CHAPTER 6

((Kay then. I can't say I enjoyed writing this one out 'cause it was a lot of nothing going on for me. I know I sort of sped things up and I'm sorry for that. If it bother's anyone feel free to say so, I can always go back and add or take to or from a chapter. Whatever suits your fancy. Please Review. It does my heart some good to hear what you think.))


	7. Three Dots

..

**CHAPTER 7: _'Three dots'_**

Naruto hissed, virtually pissed off at the sun and everything under it. His head throbbed as he watched the clouds drift across the sky carelessly. How dare they flutter by while he waited for his death date, basically? You couldn't call it much else. They told him he was going to die but never gave him a specific date. Annoying, but still a needed piece of information. It didn't help that all his 'friends' were imprisoned as well. What good were they in there?

That sounded bad, yes, but he was more concerned about Setsuna.

Setsuna. Setsuna. Setsuna.

Always Setsuna. Never really himself. Was that a plus or minus of having become a single parent? Did it matter? He needed to get the hell out of here and pretty damn quick! If the fact that his body was already adjusting to the drug they used to sedate him wasn't a sign, he didn't know what was.

Again he hissed, following it with a growl. Life never seemed so unjust.

His mind struggled with the possible ways the village might put an end to him. There were a number of methods that could've been used, but he hoped that they'd pick something that would kill him slowly. A masochistic wish, but then at least then they'd suffer, too. Maybe. He doubted it now since they were so keen to imprision him in a hospital of all places! Maybe an actual cell room would keep him sane. Or something equally cold and distant. Like a cage. Anything to distract him from the torture he was going through without Setsuna.

His child was somewhere without him. What if he was alone? What if he was crying? It depressed him to think about these possibilities, but he couldn't stop himself from letting his mind wander to even the worse thoughts. What if his baby wasn't even breathing anymore?

He arched his back as far as the restraints would allow and he cried out in frustration. A demon's howl of agony. A mother's plea for vengeance. A man's fury from being captured. Freedom, child, strength, everything was gone.

He dropped back onto the bed, defeated and longing. His eyes lost the last of their fire at the thought of never seeing Setsuna again. For once, he stopped struggling. His body was motionless and his will was as dead as his eyes. Everything was being taken away...

--

Sasuke whiped the blood off from his forehead with the back of his fist. His brow covered in sweat from the lack of air allowed inside his room. As he sat up his attention swiftly went to the child still asleep beside him.

"He called you 'Daddy' on the platform back in Konoha." Sasuke looked up, his glare set at the man that entered without permission. "So tell me, Sasuke-kun. Are you?"

A disgusting grin was plastered over his mouth. Sasuke growled at this. He wasn't about to answer.

"We always knew you had a thing for Naruto-kun but I never thought you two would actually get anywhere in your relationship, let alone get him pregnant. Orochimaru's impressed. And here we thought we kept you busy all this time." He laughed.

"I killed him." Sasuke said. "How is he still alive?"

Kabuto's face went stone cold before he gave a halfhearted smirk. "I guess a slave will give up a lot for his master." He said as he exposed a scar running from the base of his neck all the way to where the first of his ribs settled.

"And how much are you willing to give up for your supposed child?"

Sasuke moved one arm to block Setsuna from Kabuto's view. "You won't touch him." He growled.

Kabuto let out another laugh at this. "Oh, no. Of course I won't. But I can't make any promises as to what Orochimaru might do with him." He said this swinging a syringe from his pocket and twirling it between his fingers. "I'm not to harm the boy just yet, but drugging him so that he loses his memory, I can do."

Sasuke moved to a near crouch in order to become a full block for the child under him, still asleep under him. It wasn't until then that he noticed the body heat from the child was unnaturally stronger than it was last night. But he paid no mind to it now. Not with Kabuto just a few strides away.

Not much had kept Sasuke from killing this manservant in the past, and not much was keeping him from it now. He just wasn't going to risk anyone or anything getting at least one opening at the boy beneath him.

"**You won't. Touch him." **

Kabuto nearly let himself look uneasy. A pause was left and Kabuto found himself putting the syringe away and shrugging with a sigh as he turned for the door. " No, I suppose I won't. At least...not today." He pulled the door open and moved one foot outside as he looked back at the still protective Sasuke. "And try not to use any jutsu. That curse mark of yours is starting to drain you."

After Kabuto was gone, Sasuke checked up on Setsuna.

The boy's breathing was stressed, his heart moving too fast to be normal. Sasuke panicked. He felt the child's face only to pull his hand back. He was burning up.

"Shit," he cursed as he grabbed the child's shoulder. There was no way he was going to call Kabuto back in to check up on the child, not when the man would sooner wipe the kid's memory. He shook the boy gently.

"Hey." He tried. "Hey, snap out of it. Wake up, kid." Again and again. The response was the same. A groan and lazy wave of the child's hand as if dismissing whoever was bothering him, and a slight adjustment in position. Trying to get away every time. Sasuke frowned deeply.

'_You're Naruto's kid, alright.' _

"Lazy." He muttered, strengthening the shake a little and earning a flat out hit in the face from the child's small hand. He blinked. Once. Then twice.

The child just slapped him.

'_How nice.' _He shook harder this time till the kid was flailing everywhere on the bed.

"Ah! Ahh! Stop! Stop it!"

And Setsuna was awake.

--

Gaara frowned upon the scroll he had just unrolled. Jiraiya had sent a messenger hawk today at three thirty in the morning. An urgent message regarding his friend and his friend's child. Naruto and Setsuna, who had been named in honor of Suna, had only left about a month ago, having stayed for two years. Gaara had grown quite attached to his secret love's child. It wasn't an uncommen thing since he had some hand in raising the little boy. However, it had taken everything Naruto had in him in order to keep Gaara from tracking Itachi down to kill him.

But Naruto wasn't here to stop him. He was locked up somewhere. Setsuna somewhere unknown in the hands of that snake demon and... Gaara growled, throwing the scroll to the floor and hurrying to the exit of his office. He'd save the boy that saved him o matter what it took.

He wasted no time. His clothes weren't much of a priority. Food, he'd sacrifice to get there faster. His duties as the Kazekage he'd ignore. Just for this. Just for Naruto.

--

"I need you to be able to tell me. Do you feel sick?"

"I'm Kay."

"It's 'okay' and no, you're not. You're sick."

"Den let me sleep." Setsuna whined.

"Gah. You're just like him-Look. I need to know what's wrong. I know you're sick but I need to know with what or I can't help."

Setsuna frowned. "Where is Mama?"

"At home. Waiting for us to come back, but we can't leave until you're better, now hurry up and answer me. What's wrong?" Sasuke said with a tiny hint of frustration. This child really was just too stubborn.

Setsuna continued his frown. Upset with his Daddy's tone with him now. Sure, he understood that he just wanted to help and he did feel a little sick, but was the tone really called for?

"Well?" he tried again, hoping to sound a little nicer this time. It didn't work.

"I'm fine."

"Wrong." The word came out as an exasperated sigh. "You are not fine. You're sick. You have a fever and your voice is scratchy. And your nose is running!"

Like, C'mon!

Then it clicked.

Sasuke officially felt stupid. Of course the child wouldn't know what was wrong with him. He was what? Three? Okay. This had to be simple. He just had to list the symptoms and figure it out himself. It wasn't going to be that hard at all. He had lived on his own for more than half his youth. Taking care of one wasn't or shouldn't be that hard.

"Yeah." He muttered as the boy plopped down on the bed. Asleep before he hit the pillow. "Right."

His onyx eyes observered the boy now, smiling very secretly to himself. The child was beatiful. Looked too much like himself and had an innocence too much like Naruto's. In Sasuke's eyes, that combination was something made in heaven.

His heart wrenched slightly then felt light at the thought of raising this child as his own. An idea was forming in the back of the Uchiha's mind, reeling around and around with the pleasent thoughts of staring a family with his Naruto and adopting this boy as his own. Setsuna was already convinced he was his dad. It wouldn't be that hard. But, bitterly, he couldn't forget the real father of this heir. His brother had beat him again. Taken something away again. Won.

What was he going to do?

A cough pushed his thoughts aside. And he felt himself pale when he looked to the child's face. Blood, fresh and bright now stained the bed he slept on. Three, ominous dots of red.

END CHAPTER 7

((Leave reviews! I love them and I love you for leaving them!))


	8. Itachi

--

--

**CHAPTER 8: **_**'…'**_

Itachi paced within the not so real comforts of his room, his mind fixed upon the locations of both his target and his son, who he knew was with Orochimaru and Sasuke. He wasn't pleased to find that the one person he chose worthy enough to produce the first of the next generation of Uchiha was now immobile and weakened from having said child taken away. He wondered, idly, if he had made a bad choice.

Kisame watched him with a knowing, shark like, grin on his blue skin.

"Didn't peg you for the worried parent."

Though his statement was very true, he had had a hand in watching and helping Itachi keep track of his precious seed and the mother that bore it. It was a curious thing for the shark man to see unfold. Their leader hadn't said anything about it other than 'keep in line' to Itachi and that was before anything had even happened. Stranger still, Itachi found it possible to approve the name Naruto had given his son. **And**, Itachi had even risked being caught the night he went to check up on Naruto's condition during the child's birth, first birthday, and recently when he found the distressing news that the ex-Akatsuki member had his son in his clutches.

"Hn."

Kisame frowned, dissatisfied with Itachi's response. Though it wasn't uncommon, he had hoped for more out of his partner.

Then Itachi stopped his movements suddenly, his sharingan activated as he stared intently at the ground. Kisame tensed.

"What are you going to do?" He asked boredly though in reality he was excited as a cat being teased with catnip. Itachi looked like he had a plan, though anyone else would've seen an empty face, void of emotion; Kisame saw the goal Itachi now had in his mind though he wasn't exactly sure what it was yet. He stood when Itachi moved to the door swiftly and gracefully. "You're going after the kid or Naruto? -Itachi!" He hurried after him.

Itachi merely said one thing. One name. "Naruto." And Kisame knew not to follow.

No help would be needed for this.

--

Naruto stared outside the window, the last of his human strength used and the demonic chakra officially blocked. His eyes watched the stars. They seemed alive tonight. Almost like the night he was- He shook his head. Itachi wouldn't dare come into Konoha when it was on alert like this. His presence having caused some sort of chaos. Letting out an exhausted breath his mind traveled back to his baby. How he prayed the child was okay. Safe and sound with someone showing him some sort of mercy. His eyes flickered to the door. No lights from the hall was reaching through the bottom crack; his only way to tell time anymore aside from the window which helped a tad more, but the lights going out meant it was eleven at night.

'_How long have I been awake?' _ He wondered absently. _'How many days have I been…' _he looked up, longingly at the night sky. _'Like this…?' _

No one else had visited him since he saw Kiba. He wasn't sure how long ago that had been. "What day is it?" he asked to no one in particular, never in his wildest dreams expecting an answer.

"Two weeks before our son's birthday."

Naruto froze at the voice, his head whipping around to look at the user where he stood by the window. His mouth opened only to have a hand clamp tightly around it, holding his voice at bay.

"You won't say anything unless I ask you a question. Do not try to warn anyone, Naruto." He whispered darkly into the other's ear, his tongue running smoothly over the outer shell, sending shivers down Naruto's spine and springing the younger's cock to life. He nodded his head vigorously; mad that his body would react this way to Itachi's touch. Mad that, deep down, Naruto would never truly try to put up a good fight when it came to Itachi ever again.

The smallest of smirks spread across Itachi's mouth. This was going to be pleasant indeed. Slowly, he removed his hand from the blonde's mouth, testing Naruto's honesty.

As silently promised, Naruto didn't try to scream or call for help. In fact, he held himself very still, a glare as cold as death in place and aimed at Itachi. "What are you doing here? How the hell did you get in?" Naruto hissed.

Itachi ran a cold, smooth, hand down from the boy's chest to his stomach, and then further still, until he felt Naruto shift, trying to push himself into that hand that threatened his sanity.

"So willing this time, koi." Itachi said in a voice only Naruto's demon hearing was capable of listening to.

Naruto snarled at the comment, forcing his drugged body to obey him one final time. He breathed low, thinking of the pain childbirth actually was, and his cock settled down. But he was tense. No denying that at all.

"Konoha is slipping. Without you they are nothing." There should have been some passion of some sort behind that deadpanned answer, but, no. It was flat and empty. Icy. "Now silence, my Naruto. You're going to enjoy this."

Naruto tensed as Itachi made easy work of his bindings. Now was- or should've been- the time to make an escape plan as quickly as possible, but nothing came and he found his tired body favoring the idea of just letting go.

Setsuna made his way into Naruto's mind and some spirit was wound up. But, hardly enough. There was no saving Naruto Uzumaki from what was to come.

--

Sasuke's mind whirled around the idea of Setsuna dying from some sort of illness while under his care for the first time. Part of him unable to deny that he wouldn't mind, but another, less heartless part of him didn't even want to imagine the look on his blonde's face when he found out. Setsuna had to be saved!

He came a little closer to where the child lay. What was he to do?

It seemed like too much for him to handle on his own; how Naruto had managed was a mystery to even his genius mind. Orochimaru was after this child's body, so the snake man wouldn't let the child die or even get ill. But, if he were to be alerted then Kabuto would be the one to treat the boy and there was no way he could be trusted with Setsuna after what he had said the other day.

Sasuke growled aloud. Why was this so hard?!

--

Naruto muffled a scream that threatened to surface farther than just the pillow it was sent into. He bit his lip, his body being pushed further and further into the hospital bed. Hands trembling at the head of the bed, bound together to keep from punching his predator away, and legs wound around Itachi's waste out of pure customary know-how. His eyes were dyed completely red, the slitted pupils fixed on the camera in the corner of the room he knew was there. Oh, they were going to love this bit of evidence just as much as-

"Ah!" He shut his eyes, turning his attention to the pleasure of releasing finally after all that pressure. He opened them again to meet onyx eyes. He purred softly, content with the satisfaction Itachi brought with him, bringing his tied wrists up and over Itachi's head to rest them on his exposed and moist shoulders.

Itachi leered down at the blond beneath him. The whiskered scars on his cheeks were more defined and his lusty gaze was absolutely demon. This boy wasn't Naruto. This was the Kyuubi. Or most of him. A combination between the two may not have been such a bad idea after all. With a grunt of disapproval, Itachi pulled away from those loving arms and pulled out roughly, earning a yelp and shudder from the boy.

As Naruto let himself fall back onto the hospital bed, his still red eyes flickered to the camera's location, not really caring what they'd find in the morning. If they were going to kill him anyway then might as well go down swinging. Haha…

"Shit…why are you here, Bastard?" he breathed out, staying fixed on the camera.

"To inform you that I am taking my son. You failed to keep him under protection as I had anticipated. You let him fall into the care of Orochimaru."

Naruto nearly jolted from the bed. "WHAT?"

That's where his son was? With him? And now Itachi was… Naruto hissed in fury. "He's mine!"

"You failed to prove that to me, Naruto." His voice rang out and his body disappeared. Naruto swung his legs off the side of the bed, hissing in the uncomfortable pain shooting through as he stood up and ran for his clothes. He threw them on in nothing flat, knowing he had little-if no time left- to waste as he jumped out the window. They'd catch him if he didn't hurry. He pushed himself into a sprint, disorientated and high off some stimulant or other. He hated it. Stupid Itachi!

--

Sasuke shrank away in horror. Two days had passed and the horrible truth was making itself clear… Setsuna Uchiha was dying.

END CHAPTER 8

((Review or no-one sees what I do next!))


	9. Chasing After a Life

..

**CHAPTER 9: **_**'The race for a life'**_

Sasuke held Setsuna in his arms, looking down at his paling face and dulling blue eyes as he stroked his cheek and moved a stray lock of hair from his face and tucking it behind his ear. Setsuna took in a ragged breath then cringed.

"Where is Mama?" his voice cracked and Sasuke's heart wrenched in agony. "We have to...go get Mama." He pressed himself closer to Sasuke. "Mama's all alone… He hates…it." His eyes got heavier. "I can't...leave Mama…alone." His eyes shut.  
Sasuke nearly jumped.

"Stay awake, Setsuna!"

No response.

"Setsuna!"

"Foolish little brother… What made you think you could ever protect what was mine?" Sasuke jolted, his head shooting in the direction of his brother's voice. His grip on the child tightened. No way was he letting go. He growled when his eyes met with his brothers, surprised to find them black. His sharingan was activated and not a single sign from Itachi showed he was going to attack, but something was coming, something fast and deadly.

"He's mine, Itachi." Sasuke growled. Itachi's face betrayed nothing. He walked calmly forward, eyes on his baby.

Sasuke could watch as Itachi stopped merely five feet from the bed and simply call out the boy's name with no emotion what so ever and wait and watch as Setsuna's eyes opened lazily, and look over his shoulder to see the man he knew. The man that taught him things his mother kept at bay. Taught him how to put the ones you care for before yourself….

"Itachi…" Setsuna forced himself in an upright position. "Itachi." He began to sniffle and his arms reached out. "Itachi-sama." He cried weakly, dropping one arm to rub the tears from his eyes.

Itachi moved few steps closer and gently picked the child up from Sasuke's lap with more ease and grace than Sasuke ever thought he'd let him get away with. But, Sasuke was in shock. Setsuna knew Itachi. Referred to him as Lord and insisted on being held by him. Cried for him as he did for Naruto. It really was too much. Did Naruto know of this? Did Naruto know that his son was all too familiar with Itachi? And if he did know then did that mean…Naruto lied to him? Was Setsuna really an accident or just a relationship that didn't last? Why would Naruto lie then? No…that was a stupid question. But, it all seemed so….

Itachi propped the child up so his head rested on his shoulder. Setsuna's arms wound around Itachi's neck as he tried to still his own sobs. "Hush now, Setsuna. What did I tell you about crying."

Setsuna only nodded and continued to try and silence himself.

Sasuke finally came to (most of) his senses. " Put him down, Itachi. He's not yours."

Itachi's eyes flickered from the back of Setsuna's head to Sasuke's face. "Clearly he's not,"

Was that sarcasm?

"But I refuse to leave him in incapable hands." His eyes narrowed dangerously. "He needs a medic ninja. The air's too moist here for him and the temperature is too cold." He looked back at Setsuna. "You should've used your fire techniques."

"Mama wasn't here."

"Ah, yes. Naruto-kun." Itachi smiled faintly. "He should be headed this way if Orochimaru doesn't slow him down a little. But he won't make it. You're coming with me Setsuna. I'll give you back to Naruto when you're all better again."

Sasuke growled. "Take me with you."

Itachi seemed surprised by this. He looked his brother over with nothing showing behind his onyx eyes. Sasuke stood up, barely two feet away from his brother. His fists clenched.

"Very well."

--

Naruto skied to a stop.

"Gaara!" A smile graced the blonde's lips. A smile he thought he was incapable of nowadays.  
Gaara was standing a little further up the road, his red hair blowing with the direction of the wind. He turned to see Naruto with nothing but a small smile on his face. But he was disappointed to see Naruto without Setsuna. It only proved the message correct.

"Gaara," Naruto jogged over to him and stopped in front of him. "What're you-"?

"Jiraiya sent me this." He said pulling out the scroll. I was on Setsuna's trail." He turned his gaze down the road in the direction he was heading. "I don't like what I'm feeling, Naruto…" he said in something barely above a whisper, as he stared off in that same direction. Naruto followed his eyes, his expression dropping. His child was in the hands of his three least favorite people right now. His life…could it get any worse? Was Setsuna even okay? He knew that Itachi wouldn't hurt him if he had him, a thought that wasn't all that comforting actually. And he knew Sasuke wouldn't try to hurt him and would protect him if he were even with Orochimaru… But maybe these were assumptions and nothing more. He didn't have time to waste. He looked at his friend then.

"Are you ready, Naruto?" Gaara asked as if knowing exactly what Naruto was thinking.

Naruto couldn't help but smile a little. Gaara really cared. With Gaara there were no strings attached to a…He stopped. Did he want a relationship with Gaara stronger than the one he already had now?  
His smile faded slightly at the thought.

He knew Gaara loved him, and he loved Gaara. Gaara was the first person to fully understand the pain they both went through when they were younger, and accepted Setsuna with no hesitation that Naruto saw. Gaara was…

"Naruto."

He snapped out of it. "I'm ready."

**--**

**CHAPTER 9- END…..**

((sorry. I've been a tad busy. I'll try to update sooner))


	10. Lost One

--

((I got a complaint of sorts from a reader who lives in my hometown. Apparently, updating faster would prove fairly nice. Who knew, right? Any way…there was a question I feel I should answer. Setsuna is currently four years old but smart for his age. ))

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto…

**CHAPTER 10: **_**'Lost One'**_

Setsuna opened his eyes, waiting for the vision to become clearer. Itachi-sama had taken him and his daddy to this new place three days ago. He didn't know where he was but he knew he couldn't go to Mama without him being healthy. He yawned lazily.

A bird flew by the window. He looked at it while rubbing the sleep from one eye at a time. It was a black bird…

He looked over his shoulder to see if his Daddy was still there like he had been for the nights before. Of course he was and Setsuna smiled. It was nice having a father now. Mama was great, but, Mama was also lonely and he saw that. This father, this 'Sasuke', was his Daddy and he was what would make his mother happy. It wasn't hard to understand.  
Especially since Itachi wasn't what his mother wanted. But, there was something different about Sasuke and Itachi. They were the same yet different. Itachi felt closer, warmer, than Sasuke, his daddy. Why was that? Itachi…he was someone who made his mother unhappy. But then why did he make him happy, himself? Was that normal?  
Sasuke felt…safe. A security that he hadn't quite known yet, but it didn't settle well with him deep down. No, deep down, Setsuna felt that Itachi should be there more than anyone else. More than uncle Jiraiya, more than Gaara, and more than his father. Itachi was…

The sheets rustled behind him after he had looked away from Sasuke's sleeping form. He looked back. Sasuke's black eyes were on him, drowsy but seemingly in shock, as if seeing him was something to behold.

But what Setsuna wasn't aware of was that the reason Sasuke was in some mild shock was because Setsuna looked completely healthy. Not a hair out of place or minor sniffle to indicate how ill the child had been just three days before. Was a change of scenery all he really needed after all?

No.

Impossible.

The boy had coughed blood. There was something wrong with him. But, what?

--

"Setsuna's half demon, of course a simple change of scenery would affect him so much. His body, being human, can only cooperate with the demonic 'soul' to a degree of being stable in stable conditions. He's weakest in the middle of summer since he was born near the end of winter and wasn't used to it by the time it came around. Naruto was smart in moving and staying in Suna, where the weather only changes a few degrees lower than what he's used to." Itachi's tone was so casual, like this was the easiest thing to understand. True, it did seem simple, but Sasuke wasn't one to have recalled any course of demon knowledge. How Itachi knew was something beyond him, but he could guess.

"How do you know so much?"

"He's my son; I make it a point to know everything about what is mine. For instance," he began, moving to a comfortable position by folding his hands on his lap, with a cold smile on his lips. " I know that his favorite color is red, he doesn't like sweets as much as Naruto, and he _is _willing to learn anything Naruto will not teach him. There's more, of course."

Sasuke scowled, "Of course."

Itachi smiled. "And, like it or not, he _is my heir. _Not yours." He said this stressing the last of his words with barely a tone change. It only proved to spark the younger raven's anger further. It was one thing to know something- or someone- you wanted didn't belong to you, but something else entirely to have it dangled in front of you.

Setsuna was currently outside the room the two were seated in, being watched over by Kisame. The door was open as an extra precaution.

Sasuke deeply hated this man sitting in front of him. He had taken everything from him. Everything! Was it fair that he stole his one hope for the future away, too?  
He nearly growled, and would've if Setsuna hadn't wandered into the room, walking over to him with uneven and unsure steps. He set his hands on the armrest, putting him just that much closer to the man he saw as his father.

"Daddy," he started, looking up at Sasuke to see if it was okay to keep talking. "When is Mommy coming home?"

Home? Sasuke raised an inquisitive eyebrow at the question.

"He was born here. And stayed here till he was a year old; Naruto was too scared to move with him anywhere until he was older than two months."

"How would he even remember this place?" Sasuke bit out, angry, and personally tired of hearing Itachi's constant 'I know this, this, and that' crap.

Itachi leaned over and held out two fingers, placing them to Setsuna's forehead with a gentle tap saying, "A demon's memory."

Sasuke growled as Itachi leaned away and sat back down in his chair folding his hands over his lap once more with a slightly smug look on his face, not liking the fact that Itachi so blatantly called his own child a demon. Twice, right? It was degrading and yet neither Setsuna nor Itachi seemed to take offense to this.

"He'll remember further back than written history." Itachi stated easily and it was yet another thing for Sasuke to hate.

"…" Sasuke bit back the worst of whatever verbal assault he wished to unleash on his brother for the time being and decided that knowing a little more on the boy beside him would probably be better than anything else. It was only right after all. "So why did Setsuna's body react the way it did?"

Getting back on topic.

The smug look disappeared from Itachi's face and his expression turned to one of a man wise beyond his years. The topic was his son; he had to know everything. He inhaled softly and went through what he knew about how Setsuna's body functioned. It was Jiraiya that had found out and had informed him about all of this and he did well to remember everything down to the last detail. With a gentle exhale, Itachi looked to Setsuna, admiring the beautiful blue eyes he possessed, and began.

"His body, being so young and so small can barely withstand all the powers he possesses currently without the help of a seal." His eyes moved to the child's left arm, "Come here, Setsuna. Let me show him."

Setsuna obeyed, walking over to Itachi with utter trust in him.

Itachi gently turned the boy around and lifted up the sleeve of his left arm until the seal became visible, Sasuke could already sense the power behind it. His eyes took in the almost common look of the seal and would've blown it off as nothing more other than an ordinary seal had he not noticed one small detail…

His eyes widened. Itachi pulled the boy's sleeve back down and patted him on his pat, pushing him forward as an indication to move forward and back to his 'father', which he did.

"What sort of sealing technique is that? Is it safe?" Sasuke asked immediately, pulling Setsuna to him, keeping his hand over the area the seal had been placed.

"It's one Gaara, Naruto, and Jiraiya preformed," he answered. " And, no, it is not safe. Not for him anyway."

Sasuke growled. How could Naruto do that knowing it was dangerous? It was completely reckless.

"What are the consequences?" he asked, propping Setsuna atop his lap. Setsuna laughed and leaned back into him as a response. "Does Naruto know it's unsafe?"

"Of course Naruto knows." Itachi sneered. "He wouldn't do something to his child without knowing all the details, but it was the only thing that could keep him safe as well as everyone else."

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow.

Itachi took the silence as a sign to continue. " Half demons are rare; most don't live long enough to be known. If they are born more demon than human then the chances of them living is higher, but of course, they look like monsters. Disgusting and blood thirsty." He explained. " And the half breeds that come out more human than demon… as I've said before, they are unstable. Setsuna quite literally would have exploded with all the demonic energy he holds. The body is too soft and too young to be able to control and stabilize the pressure of a possible build up of that chakra. The seal keeps that chakra under a binding created by the Kyuubi."

"Kyuubi?" Sasuke half glared. "That _thing_ inside Naruto's body, you mean?"

"Yes. He created this sealing jutsu. It stabilizes the demonic energy within Setsuna's body and keeps his human appearance and thoughts unscathed, as it should be. But, the cost of it is that…" he paused, looking deep in thought for a second. "If Setsuna were to ever lose his temper or lose too much of his own blood, or even be exposed to so much blood, the seal, being demon itself, would react and break of its own accord. His body would be devoured by all of his demon instincts and wants; he wouldn't be able to handle it. The stress on his body would be too much for him to handle and he'd die."

That was it?

Why did that seem easy?

"So all we have to do is keep him away from all of that." Sasuke stated.

"Use your head, foolish little brother." Itachi almost growled. " He is the only one of his kind; the blood of not only the Kyuubi runs through his veins, but the blood of an Uchiha and the lost blood line of the Namikaze. Believe me when I tell you that _**everyone**_ wants this child. He _**is**_ the strongest weapon in the making. Every nation, every village, every lord, wants this boy to use him. To have him. He will be exposed to all that can kill him all his life. It's never a simple thing, you fool. He will be in danger every step of the way, every day of his life, and somewhere, deep down, you know that."

Sasuke fell silent, unable to argue. Unable to say one word to contradict anything his brother said. It was all true. But he couldn't ease the shock of knowing that so much trouble was all due to… He looked at Setsuna and felt some pity.

Naruto had taken this all on by himself.

--

CHAPTER 10 END…..

((Okay okay…review please. Sorry if I confused anyone.))


	11. What Happened?

--

((Sorry it took me so long… Had to install the new computer…))

Disclaimer: Still don't own Naruto…

**CHAPTER 11: **_**'What Happened?'**_

"Setsuna," Sasuke called. "It's time to go home."

Setsuna looked over his shoulder at his father and smiled happily. He started over towards him, the grin never leaving his face. Sasuke turned to leave, knowing Setsuna would be beside him in no time.  
He turned his gaze upward and turned to look over his shoulder when he heard Itachi begin to follow. The brother's eyes connected for a moment and Sasuke said nothing. His hatred had dulled considerably after the five years with Itachi helping him raise a child that wasn't even his, but the hatred was still there and burning though it was hard to concentrate on that emotion when sarrow clouded everything whenever Setsuna smiled the smile that only had belonged to Naruto…

'_Naruto…' _ His eyes settled on the ground in front of him and the depths of his sadness was well hidden behind a mask of emptiness.

"He did well today, Sasuke." Itachi said, suddenly walking beside him with Setsuna between them.

Sasuke looked over with minor curiousity and smiled faintly. "Did he?"

Itachi nodded before turning away from Sasuke for a while. He knew his little brother was still bothered about the absense of the beloved blonde and he couldn't blame him.  
The word that had reached Sasuke was that Naruto had been captured by Konoha's forces and was taken back for interigation. He refused to cooperate… Sasuke smiled faintly. It was so like the stubborn ninja. But the failure to compensate cost him his life and he was executed under the fith's instruction while a warrant was set up for Setsuna. Setsuna was to be found, taken in for study, and if he too refused to either rejoin Konoha as a citizen then he would be put to rest with his mother.

Citizen…Tch. Sasuke knew better. They only wanted Setsuna as a weapon to use during war. It was the only reason they were living in hiding now with the Akatsuki.

Naruto's death had Sasuke bedriden for over a month before Setsuna's crying brought him into the world again.  
None of it had made sense to Sasuke at first. How could Naruto die so easily? Especially after having bonded with the Kyuubi as Itachi had told him, how could it have been so easy to take him.

According to Jiraiya (Itachi was told via messenger hawk) Gaara had rushed to aid Naruto in returning his child to him and was the target in which Konoha took interest; they had sent Naruto's closest friends in order to successfully obtain him. They knew Gaara was nothing without his demon and eaier to capture.  
Naruto, hurt and confused, was then an easy take down and within the walls of Konoha was subject to chakra restraints, the likes of which had never been used or seen before. Naruto was stripped of any possible weapon and after a semi-successful escape attempt, beaten senseless. Still stubborn he had continued to fight and was told by all his friends to give in. He screamed at them. Called them cowards for being scared of Konoha's elders. Claimed they got their power from the Jinchuriki harberors, that they used them; planted them within the people themselves. All the hosts had been loyal to at least one of them and that once their power had been used to the most efficiant aspect they were either destroyed or cast out. More than half were dead. It was shortly after that accusation that Naruto was tortured till he confessed he was allied with any of the neighboring factions that were against Konoha. After stating that he could not confess that he was any other faction other than the one that belonged to the creatures they saw as demons. Naruto's last words to them were, "The only real demons…are the ones that abandon their real sense of pride. Maybe demons really do exist but they are of human flesh after all…" His eyes dulled and faded to blue as he began to weep shallowly, looking up to stare Tsunade in the face. "What sort of people are you…to take my child and my life from me? Wouldn't that make you the real demons?" And he was killed.  
Tsunade was later reported to have attempted suicide with a letter to Naruto of apology.

Sasuke sighed deeply. It was all so sudden. And the entire time Naruto was being held captive, couldn't he have gone to help him? Couldn't any of his so called friends spare him? Why did no-one stop any of the chaotic hell that broke loose?

"Dad, did you hear me?" Setsuna's voice broke through Sasuke's inner turmoil.

"Hm? What did you say, Setsuna?" Sasuke asked.

The boy pouted his bright blue eyes reminding him so much of his Naruto. "I asked you when we were going to the festival. It's already been set up for two days now."

"Festival? You wanted to go to that?" Sasuke looked down at him. "Would you like to go tonight?"

Itachi smiled a tiny smile in approval.

"Yes!" Setsuna chirped.

--

The festival wasn't what Sasuke had expected at all. It was full of energy and people. Almost too many people for his taste.

Setsuna was getting to excited and his grip on his father was too loose, he'd be gone in a flash if Sasuke wasn't careful with him. Fireworks were going off, little stands were set up for games and contests, painted fans and paper lanterns hung everywhere. A concert of sorts was going on in the distance with a lot of lights and sound to back up the female singer.

In short…This wasn't Sasuke's seen at all. He would've much rather stayed at home and read a book or learned a new technique or took revenge on Konoha for taking away his light…

And with that tiny instant of being lost in thought Setsuna went missing.

--

Setsuna's eyes widened. This place was amazing! Lights, music, games, children! Everything he had ever imagined it would be was here and more. It was far beyond amazing, this was something he had never seen before.

There was nothing that ws going to whipe the smile from his face.

Except maybe an unwelcomed bump that sent him and whoever hit him crashing their way down the river bank and landing just inches away from the rushing water.

Setsuna heard the other person groan in discomfort as they pushed themselves up and off of him.

"Are you okay?" They asked. It was a small voice and even smaller person.

"I'm okay." Setsuna admitted. "Just a little surprised. I didn't expect to fall so soon in the evening." He said sitting up and finally got a good look at the stranger.

It was a boy, at least three to four years younger than himself. His hair was a firey red with tints of blonde sparatically placed, his skin was paler than his own by maybe one shade, and bright azure eyes. Setsuna stared with his mouth suddenly agape.

"What?" The stranger asked uneasuly, sinking further back and into themselves out of embarrassment.

Setsuna leaned closer, slapping the ground with both of his hands to catch himself with enthusiasm. "You're beautiful!" he exclaimed.

The child being informed quirked an eyebrow. "I know…" Was all he said and this caused Setsuna's mouth to drop further.

"You're not supposed to say that!" He snapped.

"I don't…care." The child responded with a bit of uneasyness.

"How old are you, you conceited brat!?" Setsuna yelled.

"I turn five today, Mr."

'_Mr.?' _That threw Setsuna off. And after hearing it was the kids birthday, he didn't want to tell him anything mean anymore.

"What's your name then?" he sttled for asking.

"Kyuubi."

--

CHAPTER 11 END…


	12. Insanity at its Best

--

**CHAPTER 12: **_**'Insanity at its Best!'**_

"What's your name then?" Setsuna settled for asking.

The child looked up at him with a bit more confidence, seeing as this was a question he was sure he couldn't get wrong or scolded for answering the way he did.

"Kyuubi."

But, once again, the boy in front of Kyuubi gave a facial expression akin to utter shock. "You're named after a demon! My mother's demon!" He shouted pointing an accusing finger at the fire-haired child.

Kyuubi frowned. "I'm not named after _anyone_ this is _my _name."

Setsuna was going to continue arguing- could've argued this case for days- but this boy in front of him was too pretty to fight with. He let out a heavy sigh.

"Where are your parents?" Setsuna asked glancing up at the top of the bank they rolled down from to see if there were any worried mothers or fathers around. He looked back down at Kyuubi when he saw no-one waiting for either of them at the top and saw the boy looking at his nails; each and every one of them had been bitten down to the nub.

"Biting your nails is a nasty habit." Setsuna said reaching over and picking up one of the boys hands. He examined them and saw dried blood underneath at least three of the finger nails.

Kyuubi took his hand back slowly. "I'm not… I'm not a demon."

Setsuna's expression softened at the look in the child's face. Clearly he had been accused of being one at some point, so mentioning he was named after one probably reopened some of the wounds.

'_Where are his parents though?' _Setsuna wondered as he peered back up the bank waiting for someone to at least skim the scene.

"I came alone…" Kyuubi answered after a pause. "I wanted to see the festival."

Setsuna glanced at Kyuubi and stared for a long moment. It wasn't all that easy deciding what to do. "I'll…" his voice even sounded uncertain. "I'll take you to my dad. He'll help us get you home."

He stood up and held out a hand to Kyuubi. "After we enjoy ourselves that is." Setsuna said with a grin suited for a fox. Kyuubi's eyes brightened happily and he nodded with eagerness. "My name's Setsuna." He finally introduced.

"Named after where I grew up."

Kyuubi nodded once more, taking in the name to remember it if they ever met again after this night.

Setsuna was a friend…

--

Kyuubi looked around with just as much curiosity- if not more- as Setsuna. Neither had come to one before for identical reasons though neither knew that.

He didn't know bumping into someone could end up like this; enjoying one's self with a stranger. Usually he was punished for not watching where he was going. If he had run into a stranger before they might've hit him or worse.  
Kyuubi let out an unintentional shudder.

Setsuna looked over his shoulder at him. "Are you okay?"

"Yes." Kyuubi nodded once with his response.

Setsuna watched him for a moment then turned his attention to a game. Tiny golden fish swam in the bags under a series of rings. He grinned.

"Hey, Kyuubi, I'm going to win you one, okay?" Setsuna said, letting go and running to the stand. Kyuubi watched from where he stood before someone bumped him and he stumbled forward in surprise.

The stand itself seemed to glow a golden color, maybe from the glimmering fish in the light and the countless shining bottles and golden rings. Kyuubi loved the way he could see the world. No matter how plain something looked, he could always see the detail and slender of even a plastic bag flowing in the breeze. Lights reflected against everything, even Setsuna's raven hair now had small shades of reds and golds under this stands influential lights.

In fascination, Kyuubi took a couple of steps to stand beside him and looked down at the kimono he wore, smiling when the blue and green fish of its print dazzled him with much the same effect as the simple stand. He noticed his hands were glowing in the same manner as well and his smile grew.

The world was so beautiful sometimes. Everything around him seemed to quiet when he chose to marvel at the common wonder of things.

"Kyuubi, look! I won!" Setsuna's voice pierced through Kyuubi's trance.

Golden eyes looked over at the boy called Setsuna, a large gold fish swung from the plastic bag it was swimming in. It was so big!

"Here" Setsuna thrust the baggy in Kyuubi's direction. "I won it for you."

Kyuubi hesitantly took hold of the bag, looking down into the water and admiring the simple gift of his own sight once again as well as smiling because the fish was a gift for him from his new friend.

"I should get you something too." Kyuubi piped up happily. "Hold this for me, okay?" he said with some spark as Setsuna smiled and took the fish as asked.

Kyuubi ran off into the thickest sea of people around them and came out not ten minutes later. Setsuna smiled back at him and played along when Kyuubi told him to come close to see.

"Here" He said pulling out two coin purses. Smiling brightly he bounced them around in his hand. "These two were the heaviest. See?" He grabbed the only free hand Setsuna had to offer and placed one of the bags in the center.

Setsuna's smile had long faded by now.

"Kyuubi…where did you?"

"People need money. Without it you can't get anything for yourself or for anyone else."

"I know, but…" Setsuna's brows furrowed in minor frustration. "You're not supposed to steal."

"It's not stealing." Kyuubi snapped halfheartedly. "It's making a living." And with that Kyuubi shook the frown and smiled a little again. "C'mon. I want to hear this song!" he said running into the crowd once more.

Setsuna looked down at the purse in his hand and glanced into the sea of people and watched with a sinking heart as a mother struggled to find her purse and had to tell her boy how sorry she was but she must've forgotten it at home.

He looked away and saw barely a sliver of Kyuubi's kimono getting mixed with other strangers. He had to decide quickly whether it was better to leave the other child with his mother wanting to play a simple game or follow his friend's example and turn a blind eye…

The other boy started crying and for a moment, Setsuna thought back on a time when his own mother had bought him a turn at a booth… He had been so happy. They had been so happy.

But, over there… The boy and his mother looked sad...

--

Setsuna and Kyuubi made their way back to the river bank where they met and sat down with all they had won and bought from the games and stands. Both had beautifully decorated fans behind their backs and beaded necklaces of two different colors with charmed bracelets made of jade. Setsuna had even bought Kyuubi a hair pin with two fox masks of white and red as the decorations, which Kyuubi was wearing now.

The money had really come in handy as Kyuubi had said it would.

The fish was settled next to Kyuubi's lap where he sat, eating some sushi rolls. Strangely enough, the fish looked tense.

The moon was high and the fireworks had just started. Other people began to make their way to the river's edge to watch.

As the celebration continued on Setsuna couldn't help but notice how Kyuubi seemed so amazed and in awe when it came down to it. He had noticed how Kyuubi always seemed to stop and stare to take in the world around him; he treasured everything.

Setsuna looked away and pulled out the emptying purse from his pocket. It seemed that though Kyuubi may be appreciative of the world around him, he wasn't so considerate about its people and their plans to enjoy themselves as well.

"She should have been more careful with it." Kyuubi said suddenly, interrupting Setsuna's thoughts.

"What?" He asked looking over to see that Kyuubi was looking at the purse through the corner of his eye.

"If she really wanted to show her boy a good time she would've held onto it better."

Setsuna frowned. _'How'd he know about that?'_

"I saw." Kyuubi answered simply. "My eyes see… a lot of what yours can't."

Setsuna's confusion intensified. _'Can you read minds?'_

Kyuubi stayed quiet for a while before he nodded. "I listen close until I can hear them. If your head is quiet or too loud it's harder to hear what's…here." Kyuubi said this with his hand pointing to where his heart was located.

"Amazing." Setsuna exhaled. He smiled happily for a moment. "That's so cool! I wish I could."

Kyuubi smiled but shook his head. "It's not all that cool. I don't…" he nibbled on his bottom lip and said the rest hesitantly. "I don't like hearing what people I love are thinking of me sometimes." He whispered. "Because they don't always love me back sometimes… Sometimes they think I should be…"

"Don't' pay attention to what people who can't decide if they love you or not are thinking." Setsuna cut in. "You're a really cool person, Kyuubi, and I'm sure you mess up sometimes. We all do. It's normal and sometimes the people we love get mad at us for a mistake…" Setsuna paused when another firework went off in the sky.

"My dad's going to kill me when he finds me. He hates it when I wander off by myself." Setsuna laughed lightly, tearing off a piece of cotton candy for Kyuubi to eat. "What about you? Will your parents be mad?"

"I…" Kyuubi shut his mouth.

"You don't… have any parents, do you?" Setsuna asked, his smile gone for the time being.

"I'm just…not allowed to say."

"Well why not?" Setsuna shifted in his place to get a better look at the boy. "Are they in trouble?"

"You could say that." Kyuubi nodded. "But it's not like they're-"

"Setsuna!"

They jumped.

Setsuna turned around. Sasuke was at the top of the bank and heading towards them with a scowl.

"You don't ever do that to me again. You have no idea how scared I was." Sasuke growled yanking Setsuna up by his wrist. Kyuubi stood up and scooted a few steps back, grabbing the gold fish before the new man stepped on it.

"Ow!" Setsuna yelped as his dad began to drag him off. "N-no wait! I have to-Ouch! Let go!"

Sasuke scowled again and kept moving him away.

Kyuubi ran after them with some hesitance. "Setsuna..!" he cried.

Setsuna looked over to see him following. He cringed at his father's grip. "I'll! - I'll find you again, Kyu-Ahh! I'll find you again!"

And with that Sasuke and Setsuna disappeared out of Kyuubi's sight.

The plastic shattered in Kyuubi's hands, the water soaked him and the fish flopped around at his feet.

Kyuubi kneeled down and reached out for the fish. His nails shined with the moisture and the light of the moon. His heart wrenched when he saw them; sharp and long.

His eyes watered as his face crashed themselves into his clawed hands.

"I'm not… I'm not a demon." He cried and sobbed.

The lanterns went out…the fireworks stopped…  
Kyuubi was alone…

--

END CHAPTER 11…


	13. Kyuubi

--

**CHAPTER 13: **_**'Kyuubi…'**_

The room was dimly lit and Kyuubi's golden eyes could only see so far as the trinkets hanging began to come together making different chimes and melodies. It was in this room he could see best. And it was this room he hated most.

The door opened and the dim lights of the candles in his room were given to the black of the hallway but the light could only stretch so far before it was swallowed by the dark. A man stepped in as white as death if not paler, his yellow eyes slitted and gleaming down at the child with a pleased look.

Kyuubi fought back a shudder.

"Are you ready, Kyuubi?" he said as he kneeled down in front of the small boy. Kyuubi nodded once.

The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a blindfold.

"Wait." Kyuubi interjected putting his hands up motioning for the same request. "I want to see something for a minute. May I, Orochimaru-sama?"

The snake chuckled. "Of course, pet."

Kyuubi bowed low in thanks and got up to grab the lowly swimming fish in its little bowl. He didn't pluck it out, but he did set the bowl in the light of the candle to watch the light play on its scales.

"I'll assume you got that on your trip to the festival yesterday. You gave us all here quite a scare. Nice to see you came back quickly, Kyuubi, but why were you crying?"

Kyuubi tapped the glass with his long and pointed nails slowly with a distant look in his eyes.

He didn't want to answer.

"Did those awful people call you a demon, again?"

Kyuubi paused a moment before nodding. _'I guess I was…'_ his eyes shifted back to where his claws rested on the glass. But Setsuna had been…so kind to him.  
But his father.

Kyuubi growled raking his claws against the glass causing the fish to swim in a frenzy.

The boy's father didn't even care to listen to him; either one of them.

"You shouldn't listen to strangers. Listen to us, here, who love you, Kyuubi. We wouldn't hurt you." Orochimaru said in such a sweet voice it was sickening. Kyuubi's anger died down rapidly at that.  
Wasn't that what Setsuna had said? It sounded different though. With less meaning and just simply…wrong. Could that be?

"Where's my mom?" Kyuubi whimpered. He missed his mother terribly.

Orochimaru made his way over to the child and placed his hands on his shoulders. "Your mother's still recovering from the ordeal."

"Still?" Kyuubi questioned moving from the man's grip and turning around to look at him. "What's wrong with my mother?!"

"Kyuubi, honey, your mother nearly died giving birth to you… And is on the brink of death even now because of you."The man hissed when Kyuubi raised his voice. "Now put this on." He said shoving the blindfold into Kyuubi's hands.

"Kabuto will come by to see if you're improving." He said as he walked out of the room as well as closing the door behind him.

He looked down at the blindfold.

This was used to improve his hearing and other senses. But, it took away his most favorite sense he had.

Slowly he placed the black of the fabric around his head and fastened it over his eyes. His beloved golden eyes. He inhaled slowly and exhaled in short spurts. His body adjusted to the darkness in no time. His temporary blindness proved to be nothing more than a missed trait. He could still see things with his mind's eye. Everything was the same as it had been the moment he had placed the band on as it was when he had it off. A photographic memory was good to have.

He took a step and the simple action sent ripples on the floor, showing where everything was exactly to him for no more than half a second. He snapped his fingers and the sound bounced in the room, showing him the walls' distance from him when the sound was so softly echoed back to him.

Yes, a photographic memory was good to have, but four other senses that could be enhanced within a matter of seconds by command was much better.

He inhaled again and analyzed the scents of everything in the room, most of it smelled like him so it was easy to distinguish Orochimaru's and the fish's scents. There were even small traces of Setsuna's scent on his clothing.  
He froze at that realization and rushed to where he had stashed everything; his constant motion lighting his way in this tomb of pitch.

The drawer he had placed the game prizes and gifts reeked of the other boy's scent. He smiled when the broach was what smelled the most.

A small hissing sound echoed in the distance and Kyuubi knew to hide his treasures away once more. If Orochimaru came back then he could only hope the trinkets would be blown to bits.

"Kabuto." Kyuubi hissed when the man was within earshot.

The man paused then smiled. "Well done." He chuckled lightly. _'Surprised me. Though I guess I wouldn't expect less of a demon baby, anyway.'_

Kyuubi directed his blinded gaze away from where the man stood. _'Demon. Demon. Demon. Why is it always that word?'_

"What's wrong, Kyuubi?" Kabuto asked walking over to him.

Kyuubi nibbled on his lip. "Well…It's my birthday, Kabuto-san, and I was wondering if you'd let me have something?"

"Sure." The man responded with some relief in his voice. "What would you like?"

"The truth." He answered, turning to face Kabuto directly though he did have to crane his head to do it. He could feel the man tense.

"Am I really a demon?" he asked his voice barely above a whisper. He was scared of what the answer would be, though he was sure it'd be what he didn't want to hear.

Kabuto let out a sigh and fixed his glasses.

"Kyuubi…you're not just a demon…" Kyuubi's heart sank. "You're going to make everyone here proud of you someday."

"How so?" the boy asked, dejected and hurt.

Kabuto came down and placed a gentle hand on Kyuubi's shoulder, gently he removed the blindfold to see the child's golden eyes watering, ready to spill over any instant.

He ruffled the fire shaded hair. "You're going to become the strongest demon out there. You're going to…help many, many, people by destroying anyone and everyone that decides you're the wrong sort of demon. Your name, Kyuubi, will forever be remembered…just as it always should be."

'_And my master's name right next to it.'_

Kyuubi shivered.

--

Setsuna glared.  
A glare so cold and icy, not even a penguin from the North Pole could've braved this chill. Even Uchiha, Sasuke, was holding back his shivering in order to glare back.

"You shouldn't ever wander off like that, Setsuna." Sasuke bit out.

"And _you_ should just learn to watch me better." Setsuna mouthed off just as coldly.

Itachi sat in the corner watching with a nice warm mug in hand. "How was the festival?" He asked. His tone giving no sign of actually being interested.

"Great!" Setsuna chirped. "Until somebody had to come and ruin the party!" He said this going back to his glaring contest with his father.

"Oh?" Itachi inquired. "What happened?"

"Itachi!" Sasuke snapped. His brother not helping the subject at all.

"I met this boy there. He stole and stuff but he was pretty cool." Setsuna went on, ignoring Sasuke as Itachi was doing.

Sasuke's eye twitched. This had to be a trait of Naruto's that Setsuna was using. Always ignoring him to talk about something fun with very little if no details.

"What did he steal?" Itachi asked taking another sip from his cup.

"Money so we could play and buy stuff."

"And you used it?!" Sasuke snapped at him once more, but again to no avail.

The boy simply wasn't listening.

"Did you spend this money?" Itachi asked, his voice holding its own warning though hardly any sort of tone was added or changed.

Setsuna hunched his shoulders and dipped his head in shame; a sure sign that the money was probably gone. "Every last cent." Setsuna admitted.

By now, Sasuke had left to take a shower and go to bed. He had given up for the day; after hours of searching for the kid he didn't have the energy to deal with him being mad for the very same energy-zapping feat. So off to bed he went.

"What was this boy's name? We should have him return this money any way he can."

Setsuna shifted, scrunching his face, knowing that the next part wouldn't make much sense to his uncle.

"He said his name was Kyuubi"

--

Chapter 13 End!


	14. A Lifetime Undone

--

(( For those of you who do not enjoy me time skipping…I'm very sorry, but it's something I do to make the story flow better…though I'm sure more than half have questions…No worries. I'll get most of 'em answered.))

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

**CHAPTER 14: **_**'A Lifetime Undone'**_

Kyuubi sat in darkness, his golden eyes glimmering though there was nothing for them to use as a light source. A deep growl escaped his lips and erupted from his chest in anger and hatred. He had been waiting ever so patiently for his chance to show himself to the world only to find that it went COMPLETELY wrong.

"_I'll find you again! I'll find you!"_

Kyuubi shook his head.

He had heard Setsuna's name in the thoughts of the many different faces of the village he was set to attack. The village of Konoha…

He had trained for so long. And he was so ready for it. Had to be ready for it. He knew the place as if he had grown up there; he had made so many monthly trips there and back. Always making sure to go to different areas and he memorized every path he could use in case of an emergency escape. But then right when he was about to attack it he had heard it…

--

"_Setsuna's doing so well." An old woman had admired as the boy made his way through the streets of Konoha side by side with Lady Tsunade._

_Kyuubi stood on the side lines in shock, his attack immediately called off to make sure this was the same boy as he tuned in with the old gossipers._

"_You know his father was Sasuke Uchiha?"_

_Again, Kyuubi felt himself fall further into shock. 'Uchiha…'_

"_Yes. And his mother. What was her name." the elder of the two old women pondered._

"_No. no. Setsuna's the son of Naruto Uzumaki and Uchiha Sasuke."_

_Kyuubi's back hit the nearest wall… _

"_How can that be?"_

"_Lady Tsunade was said to have _created_ the boy, Setsuna. Everyone knows it's impossible for two men to have children."_

"_Hmm. Yes."_

_Kyuubi's frantic eyes searched for the boy known as Setsuna. His eyes were the same, gentle beautiful blue eyes, his skin was pale but darker than his own by maybe only one shade. And his hair was as dark as ravens feathers. He drowned out the conversation between the two elderly women. Something wasn't adding up.  
Orochimaru had clearly given him every detail of what had happened in regards to Uchiha, Sasuke and Uzumaki, Naruto here in Konoha._

_He tuned in to Setsuna and the fifth Hokage's conversation this time._

"_I think you'll be able to fulfill Naruto's dream of becoming Hokage. I'm so sorry what happened to him back then. He didn't deserve it."_

_Setsuna smiled a small and friendly smile._

"_Forgive and forget, right? I haven't seen my mother in years and if you're going to apologize…save it for my father and his brother. They suffered more than I did, Hokage-sama. And, I intend to live my mother's dream…to its fullest."_

_Kyuubi's head spun._

_He watched with a heavy heart as the two began to vanish behind a sea of people. _

_His throat became hoarse. "Se- Setsuna!" He shouted before he could process that anything had indeed left his mouth. _

_And just like that, Setsuna turned around, locking their eyes as all time around them stood still, with Kyuubi trapped inside the Sharingan._

_--_

It was a lot of work to forcibly rip himself from that sort of grasp, but even more work to concentrate on even getting out of all that he had heard.

"Kabuto." Kyuubi snapped in a voice akin to a bark.

Kabuto wasn't far off. He was definitely close enough to hear him if he wanted, but when no reply came right away, he growled.

'_Naruto Uzumaki…' _ That name… the name of the body that had housed him. His mother. Vessel. Protector. The name of the person that had given up his life for him. And it was Naruto Uzumaki's wish that Konoha be destroyed, yet he just learned Naruto's own son was following in Naruto's footsteps to become Hokage, the leader of the very village he had trained himself to destroy.

He knew all that but somehow knew nothing on Naruto's relationship with Setsuna. Would Naruto really have wanted Setsuna to help Konoha prosper?

"Kabuto!"

--

Setsuna fidgeted in the Hokage's office. His leg jumping up and down in a nervous jitter.

"What's wrong with you, Setsuna?" Tsunade asked eyeing his non-stop-motion behavior.

Setsuna ignored the question; he didn't want to deal with this woman at all really. He was just here to aid this little village in burning after what it had done to him and his family. He had lost his mother to these demons and he was going to make them all burn for it.

She sighed.

"Who was that red-head that called you out earlier? Ever since you saw him you've been acting strange."She asked.

His blue eyes flickered in her direction.

"A demon named Kyuubi."

She froze. "What?"

--

Naruto inhaled a ragged breath.

"Jiraiya …" he called with a torn voice. It was hard to speak and even harder to keep his eyes open. In short, he felt like he could die at any point in time though his body didn't allow it. He tried to push himself into a sitting position only to have a soft pale hand, gently guide him back down.

He looked to find pale green staring back at him with a look of worry and concern in his eyes.

The pale green eyes closed and the dark rings around them were visible now as the face shook slowly.

"You're still not better, Naruto." Gaara's soft voice drilled kindly. "…Orochimaru…He's not done constructing the new body for you yet."

Naruto hissed audibly out of pure distaste of having ever made any sort of deal with the man. It had been all Kyuubi's idea.

The fox had barely managed to keep Naruto alive after the attack Konoha had made for his life. Naruto had even lost the will to live after what had happened…

--((**Fifteen years Previously**))--

'_Kyuubi…I'm going to die…My friends are-I've betrayed them all.'_ Naruto collapsed on the forest floor after struggling to move away from the after math of the struggle.

His friends had all come. They had all come to help. But they turned on him. Lied and made him believe they would help him get his child back.

'_**Kit....'**_

'_I just want... I just wanted to live a normal…happy little life with my son. And now I-'He_ curled in on himself on the ground. The dead bodies of all his friends still reeked of their blood and were still too close to him to block it out. He fisted the earth with his bloodied hands. The wounds he had obtained were too fatal for the Kyuubi to heal on his own, it was a wonder Naruto was even still breathing.

'_**Kit, don't give up…They weren't worth anything. They were-'**_

'_They were my friends!'_

The Kyuubi fell silent for a time. Something inside him made him cry out, and through him, Naruto felt the same pain. Naruto fell to his side and curled in around his stomach. What was that?

The Kyuubi began to growl and hiss in pain.

Naruto choked, cringing with the same agony. _'Kyuubi, what's wrong?' _

The Kyuubi let out a howl of anguish that echoed throughout the blondes mind and the sadness washed over Naruto immediately.  
The Kyuubi had lost a child.

Rage soon followed when Kyuubi found a heart beat within the mess of the child's wounds and torn life supports. The chakra flow had twisted in bundles and could barely get through to sustain the life it had created.

'_Again?!'_ was all Naruto managed to think when the Kyuubi took over his body and dragged his ass to the nearest inn. The panicked inn keepers gave him a room almost as soon as he entered the building.

'_I'm tired of giving birth to Itachi's fucking babies! I don't want him!'_

'_**But I do!'**_ The Kyuubi snapped. _**'…this one's going to die if we don't do something quickly.'**_

'_But I don't care what happens to it-or me for that matter… I just want to die and be done with it.'_

No more pain…that's all he wanted now.

The Kyuubi snarled. _**'Selfish brat. I will kill you if that's what you wish, but I want this child!'**_

'_It's going to die…'_

The Kyuubi became very quiet for a long time. It wasn't until Naruto was on the brink of death from blood loss did the fox speak up again.

'_**To keep him alive…I'm going to fuse with him. He…is dying and will continue to die if I don't do anything for him right now. Naruto…I'll find Setsuna for you. I swear to you I'll locate him, but you have to stay alive for me. I won't be a burden to you any longer… Once you give birth to this boy…I won't be with you anymore. And you can throw him to the dogs for all I care. If I'm a part of him he'll survive.'**_

The mention of Setsuna had Naruto's head nodding before he really processed what Kyuubi had said.

'_And...Setsuna… You'll find Setsuna.'_

'_**I will.'**_

Naruto smiled softly. _'Okay…' _

"I'm sorry Kyuubi…" he winced again. "But, I'll...stay alive… a little while longer."

--

Kyuubi never spoke up again and in just three months, the baby was born. Jiraiya had found Naruto wandering around in a market disguised as a girl one fine day and wrote a long letter to Itachi stating Naruto had lost his life, and during the birthing, almost did.

The removal of Kyuubi through this method had damaged Naruto's body enough to kill him. And Naruto couldn't let the baby go as Kyuubi had said he could.  
But Naruto was fading and fading fast. In an impulsive snap decision, they didn't turn down the snakes offer to reconstruct Naruto's dying body. But the price was having 'Kyuubi reborn' as Orochimaru's weapon.__

--

Naruto groaned in pain.

Where was Kyuubi now?

He knew the boy was within the same facility but he had never seen the boy once and had no idea how much time had passed by since that night in the forest.

--

"He was a demon I had met at least ten years ago when I was living with my father."

Tsunade's face had grown very pale.

"The reason why I've been acting strange was because I used the Sharingan on him and I saw my mother. What I want to know is…" His tone grew dark. "Why?"

--

CHAPTER 14 END!


	15. Anger

**--**

**Chapter 15: **_**'Anger's Fury'**_

Kyuubi let out a feral growl. "Who is he?!" He roared thrusting his claws into the snake's stomach and ripping out the internal organs, squeezing them until they popped, leaving a mess at his feet.

"Why are you so angry, Kyuubi?" Orochimaru purred. "He's just another of the worthless filth that is drowning the world."

"Same could be said for you, master." Kyuubi muttered, dropping the entrails as they began to morph into snakes at his feet. His shoulders slumped as he backed off and waited for Orochimaru to regenerate himself.

The snake chuckled darkly. "Yes, pet. Me too."

Kyuubi fell silent, not wanting to hear anymore and no longer wanting to be in the presence of his so called master. The snake was worthless and taught nothing but how to destroy and create only the worst of things. Was this the life he really wanted?

Why wasn't he his own person?

He took a step away then disappeared within his sadness.

--

Setsuna nibbled on the nail of his thumb, contemplating on whether or not he should send a message to his father and uncle.  
He growled in frustration, knowing that sending any sort of message would only reveal where they were and put them in jeopardy. But, he had to know why his mother was within Kyuubi's memories…And more importantly… Why had Naruto looked so close to death in that memory of him?

Could Kyuubi have been the cause of Naruto's death? Was it the same Kyuubi that Naruto had been the vessel for?

Wasn't that impossible?

He grit his teeth. None of it was really adding up. Did Tsunade have something to do with this?

According to what Itachi had told him and his father, Naruto had been executed. Did they extract Kyuubi and put him into another body or something? Maybe that was how Naruto had perished. It'd explain something… And maybe the reason why Naruto looked so bloody and dying was because the new Kyuubi was told to kill him.

That had to be it!

…And yet…. Setsuna turned his gaze to the photo he had of his parents together when they were young; a very much alive Naruto placed beside Sasuke with all the energy in the world and a dream to match.

There was something more to his mother's death and this new Kyuubi. There had to be.

--

Kyuubi perched himself on top of one of Konoha's posts. Amazingly the very same one Naruto had stood upon when first returning, but of course Kyuubi was unaware of this.

He hadn't been noticed yet and he was determined to get Setsuna to talk to him even if it took a lot more than he'd hoped for.

He flexed his claws and relaxed his muscles, keening his senses to that of his heritage. His eyes flashed gold and he grinned.

He was ready.

--

Setsuna kept his gaze out the window. His eyes constantly searching the area for the demon he had not seen in ages.  
He took in a deep breath, frustrated that the boy was nowhere to be located, seen or-

'_**Turn off the Sharingan and I'll come out, Setsuna.'**_ A voice hissed from within the depths of Setsuna's head earning a jolt and his heart to race when he tried even more frantically to locate him now.

"Show yourself!" Setsuna ordered in a bit of desperation. The surprise of having been caught off guard was all too evident.

'_**Deactivate it!' **_Kyuubi's own voice barked out followed by a growl; angry that Setsuna wasn't going to trust him.

'_Fine then…' _ Kyuubi bellowed to himself. _'We'll play it like this. I'll just rip out those eyes of yours with my own claws.' _

Demons played it that way anyhow.

Kyuubi inhaled before swinging his body into Setsuna's room via (now broken) window. He had to do this fast, and, even more importantly, faster than Setsuna.  
Setsuna gasped, taking a quick step back blocking his face with his arms. He shut his eyes for barely a millisecond and Kyuubi was suddenly gone.  
He spun on his heel only to have his ankle caught.

"Ahh!"

The demon growled, angry Setsuna was caught so easily. How could this be the strength of what was to be Konoha's next leader?

It couldn't be…

Kyuubi yanked to the right, toppling Setsuna over and onto his back with a thud and audible, "Oof."

And when Kyuubi finally saw the Sharingan begin to fade did he let go of Setsuna's ankle and began to hide the portion of the chakra he had let loose. Setsuna had given up.

"How?" Setsuna said breathlessly. "You escaped my Sharingan before too."

Kyuubi studied him closely, watching as he inhaled and exhaled with some strain.

"It was easy." He deadpanned.

Setsuna frowned. It couldn't have been that simple. No one had ever been able to rip themselves from his eyes before. He had been taught by the best, had he not? They were the only two left, no?

"How have you been, Kyuubi?" Setsuna asked with his eyes still on the ceiling.

Kyuubi settled into a sitting position next to him. "Fine. You?"

"Been better. You don't steal anymore, do you?" he asked as casually as he ever could.

"When I have to. But I've stopped stealing material goods. I'm better at taking lives…" he looked out the window, leaning back on his hands. "Among other things."

The casual conversation seemed stale, rehearsed and boring. They weren't going to find out anything about each other this way…  
But how to start? Was there really a way to just outright ask about their pasts?

"I waited…" Kyuubi suddenly muttered, his eyes cast downward giving off a shimmering golden glow. Sad. "I waited for you to find me like you said."

Setsuna looked over at him, blue eyes dancing in their own sea of confusion and something close to pity… _'I said I would, but…you found me first.' _

Kyuubi nodded with a halfhearted laugh. "I guess I did."

Setsuna seemed taken aback for a minute before he remembered Kyuubi could read the minds of those around him.

"Stay out of my head." Setsuna stated sharply before Kyuubi could continue. This of course only earned a bit of a growl from the demon in front of him.

"The same could be said to you. I don't ever want to have that Sharingan used on me again." He growled.

"You surprised me. What else was I supposed to do? Besides, I as good as turned it off after you knocked my ass on the floor."

"You weren't trying." Kyuubi snapped in a voice barely above a whisper.

Setsuna pushed himself into a sitting position next to Kyuubi. "Why would I? You weren't exactly ready to kill me either."

Kyuubi smiled at that. _'No…I wasn't.' _

"My father freaked out when he took me home that night."

Kyuubi's eyes narrowed at the mention of the man. "His hair looked like a ducks ass." He muttered.

Setsuna blinked then let out a laugh, leaning back in the minor hysteria. No-one had ever verbally abused his father's choice of hairstyle in front of him before.  
Kyuubi's eyes were on Setsuna now, as he laughed and had been there as soon as his laughter began. It was such a heartwarming laugh.  
Kyuubi smiled a little.

Setsuna would've made a kind leader.

He looked away, hiding his eyes so Setsuna wouldn't pick up on his guilt and reluctance to feel the same joy Setsuna was going through right now…if it was even real. For some reason it seemed forced.

Both knew the other was hiding something… But how to voice it? I mean gawd dammit!

"Setsuna…" Kyuubi started, putting Setsuna's laughing fit into a tiny measure. "Why are you here, in Konoha?"

Setsuna's laughter was now long gone.

"Why are you?" he asked in a voice Kyuubi couldn't decipher.

"Honestly?" Kyuubi asked.

Setsuna only answered this with a slight nod of his head. His cerulean eyed completely focused on reading Kyuubi's own gestures and words. The body language spoke a thousand words if read incorrectly. For Setsuna reading someone was sometimes as easy as reading a children's book.

Kyuubi inhaled shallowly and exhaled with no sign of breathing afterwards.

"I'm here to destroy it."

Setsuna straightened up, his senses suddenly heightened with a rush he never felt before. His mind's eye was now busy with the task of locating anyone within a shinobi's hearing range.  
Kyuubi was anxious with the silence but was sensing barely enough panic and/or danger to put him on edge.

"Kyuubi," Setsuna began and Kyuubi finally tensed. "I want you to read my mind from now on… On the condition you will allow me to read you with my Sharingan."

Kyuubi growled, turning to look at him with the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. "Why?" he demanded.

"Read me first then. I'll explain." Setsuna urged with a hint of desperation.

Kyuubi let out another growl before he focused on Setsuna's thoughts and amazingly enough, found them blurry. The boy had too much on his mind for Kyuubi to hear anything clearly.

"Focus. "Kyuubi murmured in irritation. Setsuna nodded, closing his eyes.

And it began…

'_I'm here for the very same reason, Kyuubi. And though I don't know if our reasonings are the same…I now know the goals are the same. Konoha will be torn apart… One way or the other. I'd appreciate the help, okay? If I have you with me no-one can oppose us. We'd be unstoppable. I have enough of this village's ways. Their methods of doing things. The lying and cheating that goes on here while the rest of the world goes on suffering for it. Worst part is…the people living in here know nothing about it. They believe this place is good. Safe. Once it's in my hands. I'll crush it! And convert those who will follow me to the path best suited for traitors like them…'_

Kyuubi's eyes widened, starring at Setsuna in awe or maybe even shock. Setsuna had released more to him but his words came in clearly.

"You're a half demon…" Kyuubi said in amazement.

"And you're the pure one. So…will you?"

A demon…pure?  
Kyuubi chuckled lowly.

"_**Never heard that one… But, yes." **_ He let out a hollow laugh as he turned to Setsuna with irises of amber and crimson. _**"I will help." **_

Kyuubi let his demon instinct simmer down before he continued.

"You couldn't have asked a better person." He said, deeply touched and at the same time…Full of self loathing for being what he was. In the back of his mind he could hear the distant echoes of who he used to be as a child and his one and only wish in the form of a desperate plea,

"_I'm not a demon…" _

--

CHAPTER 15! END

((Leave reviews! I need to know how I did.))


	16. On the Same Side

--

**Chapter 16: **_**'On the Same Side'**_

It didn't take long for the two young men to become inseparable. They had more in common than just their goals, even some things they didn't even know about each other.

Even so, Kyuubi hung around Setsuna as what Setsuna had improvised as his 'personal body guard'; recently recruited of course, and unable- or just not allowed- to remove the mask he wore when in the presence of anyone but Setsuna, and this was so no real suspicion rose. Real in the sense that wearing a mask was more than occasional…so no-one really cared. The Hokage brushed it off even after Setsuna's sudden need to keep his body guard upon seeing her… Kyuubi had found the woman to be annoying far too quickly for Setsuna's ideals.

There was occasional bickering between the two, but other than that everything went by smoothly.

"How long will this take?" Kyuubi muttered one evening.

Setsuna put down his book, looking over at his long lost companion in annoyance. "As long as it needs to, Kyu. I need them to actually make me Hokage, you know? Before I can actually do anything!"

Kyuubi growled. "Can't we just kill everyone and get it over with!?"

Setsuna moved faster than even Kyuubi could block. His moth was being covered now as his standing position was now that of one who was lying down.

'_Don't be fool enough to say things like that out loud.' _Setsuna snapped.

Kyuubi sneered awkwardly under Setsuna's grip.

'_**Let go of my mouth-Now!' **_Kyuubi growled again.

Setsuna listened but glared harder at the demon as he did so.

"Look, I'm sorry. You're my only ally in this. I shouldn't be so crude." Setsuna said quietly.

Kyuubi sat up and snickered. "Whatever."

"They didn't treat you any better where ever you came from, huh?" Setsuna asked looking over his shoulder at him.

Kyuubi shook his head.

"They could've done better." He answered bitterly, looking down at his claws. "Much better."

"So who were your parents?" Setsuna asked, making sure his mind didn't wander farther than the question.

"I… never knew either of them." Kyuubi answered, honestly. "I don't know who they are or were."

"Maybe you killed them."

Kyuubi's eyes shot a cold glare at the boy beside him. "I'm beginning to wonder I'm not killing you at this moment."

Setsuna smirked. "Well my parents…one's dead and the other's in hiding with my uncle." The smirk didn't leave. "And they both raised me to be a killing machine. My mother wanted me to have a peaceful life, but it was my mother that was the demon. Isn't that strange?"

Kyuubi didn't answer. No need to.

They were both alone in this world but in very different ways.

But at least…they were alone together.

"Kyuubi," Setsuna started up again after the fox had turned away. He still hadn't looked back though. "We need to trust each other."

He knew that.

"So let's show some trust." Setsuna continued, grabbing a hold of Kyuubi's hand. "The blood in our veins…we could share it."

((Funny if they only knew right?))

Kyuubi scrunched his nose. "I'm not doing any sort of blood ritual."

"Then how about a mating one?"

Kyuubi froze. "What?"

"We're both demons here, so it'd be okay wouldn't it. I want your complete faith in me, Kyu. So, I'll put mine in yours."

"You could die!"

"And, I'm willing to take that risk so long as I can trust that you won't let that happen."

"I don't want to lose you!" His heart wrenched, "But why this way?"

"Because without you, Kyuubi, I could die. I can feel it."

"…."

"We're on the same side now, aren't we?" Setsuna pressed further.

Kyuubi swallowed hard before nodding faintly. "Yes… we are."

All this talk about trust- it was too much and too wrong. And Kyuubi couldn't back away from it and he hoped, prayed, wished that Setsuna would see how much being shown he was a demon really hurt. It was the last thing he wanted to be and yet Setsuna seemed to love that fact. Enjoyed it to it's fullest and even wanted to use every ounce of it's power for his own fortune. Could anyone be so currupt.

"Before we do that though..." Kyuubi said, "I want to see the extent of your powers and the height of your wit. I will not give myself to someone so..." he couldn't finish it.

Setsuna's face fell into that of a passive wise man.

"I'll show you everything I've got. But in return, I want all of you. I need you."

"I understand."

--

END!

Oh heaven help me…


End file.
